| Topic: | Re:Re:Cuts to Schools Building Programme | |
| Posted by: | Adam Gray | |
| Date/Time: | 09/07/10 02:13:00 |
| Alan, you may have seen that Justine's comments have been added to the article on the front page of this website. Alas, her comments are disingenuous. First, she claims that “The Building Schools for the Future Programme failed to deliver funding for Elliott School over the past 5 years" That's because for the past five years, Wandsworth Council never applied for BSF funding for Elliott. BSF can only be given to schools where the local education authority applied. Had Wandsworth applied for BSF in any of the first four tranches of allocation, the works would either be completed or irreversably advanced by now. She then claims "...there is still capital funding available to improve schools." Note that while she says capital funding for schools is still there, she specifically does not say "for Elliott". Of course the funding for other projects, like the expansion of Hotham, is still there - but only because it's a different budget to BSF that the Government hasn't got round to cutting...yet. Next sentence: "I have spoken with the Head of Children’s Services at Wandsworth Borough Council, and he has confirmed that they will continue to make a case for investment to improve Elliott School." I'm sure they will, but the case they've presented so far held no truck with their own government has it? There's no serious prospect of the council getting a u-turn from Michael Gove, especially as every other council and MP is making a "special plea" for their own schools. She concludes: "As local MP, I will continue to make our case for support for the School.” This really isn't close to being good enough. Not only is Justine Greening in government now - not opposition where it's easy to make trite statements like this: but she's a Treasury Minister. In fact she's the second-ranking Conservative Treasury Minister below George Osborne. She's directly responsible for these cuts. Rather than claiming to be defending Elliott, it would show more integrity for her to admit her complicity in the cuts and defend them if she believes in them - or resign her government post and stand up for Elliott from the backbenches if she does not. But she can't have it both ways. |