MAYOR GIVEN CHOICE OF SCHOOLS

On Wednesday, Lewisham's councillors will debate the site of a new secondary school. Widespread opposition to the Mayor's chosen site has forced him to consider alternatives.

The Mayor had set his heart on the site of Ladywell Leisure Centre, but local councillor Andrew Milton is not impressed.

"The site is totally unsuitable for a secondary school," said Cllr. Milton. "It would be horribly cramped and would add to the current traffic chaos. This would mean tearing down a leisure centre which is well-loved and well-used by the local community."

Cllr. Helen LeFevre agreed that it was the wrong site, and pointed to the expanding population in the north-west of the borough. "The fundamental flaw in this proposal is that it is the wrong school in the wrong place," she said. "There is no local support or demand. Simply because the pool is available is no reason for the Council to take this path."

The distance of this site from the areas of greatest demand was also stressed by Cllr. Barrie Anderson. "Just because the Ladywell Leisure Centre is North of the South Circular doesn't make is a suitable location for the Deptford constituency," he noted.

Opposition councillors have therefore suggested seven different alternatives to this site. They believe these would have much greater public support, as Cllr. Darren Johnson explained.

"Labour have let down the people of Lewisham with their disastrous decisions to close first Telegraph Hill School and now Ladywell Leisure Centre. Opposition councillors have worked together to come up with alternative proposals. We are united in urging the Council to take them seriously."

The Mayor's proposal was debated by a meeting of Lewisham's councillors on Wednesday 15 September, but many Labour councillors did not turn up. Under considerable pressure from councillors and the public, the Mayor agreed to postpone the vote.

As a result, councillors will debate and vote on all the suggested sites on Wednesday 20 October. Cllr. Julia Fletcher urged the Mayor to keep an open mind. "We sincerely hope that this is more than a stunt by the Mayor and he will seriously consider our suggestions," she said.

Cllr. Chris Flood believed that Labour councillors should also be open-minded and consider the views of their voters. "If the debate is to be truly open and democratic, the Labour leadership will allow a free vote. It is well known that there is dissent and disapproval of the Mayor's plans amongst Labour councillors. The simple fact is they fear speaking out.

"We agree with the Save Ladywell Pool Campaign and call for councillors to vote according to their consciences."


15th October 2004

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