Tottenham Conservatives voice concern over schools merger proposal 25/04/07

Local Conservatives have today expressed fears concerning the proposed merger of two highly-regarded special needs schools in Tottenham: Moselle and William C Harvey.  

Justin Hinchcliffe, of Haringey Conservatives, comments: "Parents, pupils and parents scuppered Labour's plans to close the Blanche Neville School for the Deaf in Highgate. But now they have set their sights on these two schools in Tottenham. We fear that the merger is in fact just a cost-cutting exercise. They couldn't get away with it in the west of the borough, so they are trying in on here in Tottenham. OFSTEAD has strongly praised both these schools.  We oppose this plan and are ready to join the teachers, parents and pupils in fighting this damaging proposal".

The council has also botched the public consultation on these proposals, adds Hinchcliffe: "Nobody trusts this Council to hold fair consultations. They have a long track record of the Labour Group making decisions behind closed doors, getting them rubber-stamped at Full Council - and then running shoddy public consultations to pretend that the people had a real say in things."

After the re-organisation, it is planned that a new secondary school for pupils with special needs will be built at Woodside High School by 2010. A new primary school will be built at the Broadwater Farm Primary School site when funds are available.

Ends.