Camden News: School offer on table, now it’s up to Town Hall

Publications by New Journal Enterprises

Home

Archive

Competition

Camden News - by RICHARD OSLEY
Published: 24 April 2008

School offer on table, now it’s up to Town Hall

PLANS to open a new secondary school in the south of the borough are faltering because of a lack of urgency among education chiefs at the Town Hall, Ed Balls warned yesterday.
He said his pledge to stump up extra cash so more school places were available to families living in wards such as Holborn and Bloomsbury needed to be acted upon as soon as possible.
Mr Balls said: “I certainly hope efforts are accelerated in the next few weeks because there has been a bit of frustration. I’ve been told this directly – that the council has not engaged with the offer on the table. I’m really hoping they can rise to the plate soon because parents want them to.”
The deal proposed by Mr Balls earlier this month was on top of proposals to open Camden’s first academy, sponsored by University College London, in Swiss Cottage – part of a massive £200 million rejig of education in the borough. Mr Balls said: “I hope the council is going to work closely with us, parents and local politicians. This is the largest investment we’ve ever put into education and Camden has a big opportunity.
“The local council wanted to have the UCL academy in the north of the borough and that’s something we are happy to support. But in the conversations I’ve had it was clear there was a real demand to have more school places in the south of the borough.
“I really hope the local authority will listen to local parents and find a site. My officials in our department are really keen to move this forward. We have said we will do everything we can to work with you to deliver that new school but obviously it’s very important that the Liberal council engages.”

Comment on this article.
(You must supply your full name and email address for your comment to be published)

Name:

Email:

Comment: