Press Release: Local MPs condemn Government Decision to Cut investment in Waltham Forest Schools

Waltham Forest Labour MPs John Cryer and Stella Creasy today expressed their anger at the Tory and Liberal Democrat Coalition Government plans to stop investment into the programme to rebuild the borough's schools. Following an announcement by the secretary of State for Education Michael Gove on the future of the BSF schemes in Waltham Forest they issued the following joint statement:

"We are outraged at the Government's decision to cut this much needed investment in our borough's schools without any consultation with parents, pupils, governors, teachers or councillors. We've seen the difference new school facilities such as those at Frederick Bremer and Kelmscott make - and as the local MPs we want those resources for every child in our borough. Time, money and energy has gone into putting together plans to rebuild schools like Leytonstone, William Morris or Willowfield. Now with the swing of Michael Gove's axe that's all wasted and we have no idea how they plan to meet the urgent need for school places we have here either. Today's announcement also raises other questions about fairness in education as this Government channels funding into proposals for academies and free schools. We are determined to fight against the two tier system they seem to want to create which could leave thousands of young people in our borough without the schools and quality learning opportunities they need and deserve."

John and Stella have already co-authored a parliamentary Early Day Motion condemning these cuts and will be seeking clarification about what these will mean for investment in education in Waltham Forest in the current financial year.

Notes

1.    The following early day motion has been tabled by John and Stella today:

"that this house condemns the government's decision to cancel the Building Schools for Future programme for a number of schools in the London Borough of Waltham Forest; notes that parents, pupils, governors, teachers and other staff have often worked hard and valiantly under difficult conditions and over many years; that the BSF programme promised new buildings and vastly improved conditions for staff and students and that this announcement will be a serious setback for education in Waltham Forest."

2.    Building Schools for the Future (BSF) was the biggest-ever school buildings investment programme. Some 180 schools have been rebuilt or revamped since the programme was introduced in 2004. And building is about to start in a further 231 schools.

3.    Originally under Labour's Building Schools for the Future Programme all of England's 3,500 schools were to be revamped by 2023. The plan was to replace out-dated buildings with facilities that suit modern education.

 4.    The Secretary of State Michael Gove announced today plans to stop the proposed rebuilding of 715 schools across the country. For further details please visit www.education.gov.uk.

5.    The following Schools in Waltham Forest have now had their plans for investment cut: