Forum Message

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.


Entire Thread
TopicDate PostedPosted By
Cuts to Schools Building Programme05/07/10 22:08:00 Martine Guy
   Re:Cuts to Schools Building Programme06/07/10 09:44:00 Jim Maddan
      Re:Re:Cuts to Schools Building Programme06/07/10 10:04:00 Martine Guy
         Re:Re:Re:Cuts to Schools Building Programme06/07/10 11:48:00 John Chambers
            Re:Re:Re:Re:Cuts to Schools Building Programme06/07/10 18:06:00 Suzanne Taylor
               Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Cuts to Schools Building Programme06/07/10 18:22:00 Jane Cowley
               Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Cuts to Schools Building Programme06/07/10 18:23:00 Martine Guy
                  Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Cuts to Schools Building Programme06/07/10 21:02:00 Alan Thomson
                     Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Cuts to Schools Building Programme06/07/10 23:04:00 John Chambers
                        Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Cuts to Schools Building Programme07/07/10 20:38:00 Alan Thomson
                           Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Cuts to Schools Building Programme08/07/10 11:20:00 Richard Carter
                              Cuts to Schools Building Programme08/07/10 22:29:00 Rosemary Torrington
                                 Re:Cuts to Schools Building Programme08/07/10 23:27:00 Alan Thomson
                                    Re:Re:Cuts to Schools Building Programme09/07/10 01:58:00 Adam Gray
                                    Cuts to Schools Building Programme12/07/10 09:13:00 Rosemary Torrington
   Re:Cuts to Schools Building Programme08/07/10 23:29:00 Alan Thomson
      Re:Re:Cuts to Schools Building Programme09/07/10 02:13:00 Adam Gray
         Re:Re:Re:Cuts to Schools Building Programme10/07/10 13:14:00 Alan Thomson
            Cuts to Schools Building Programme10/07/10 17:09:00 Adam Gray
               Re:Cuts to Schools Building Programme10/07/10 20:01:00 Alan Thomson
               Re:Cuts to Schools Building Programme10/07/10 23:18:00 Leslie McDonnell
                  Re:Re:Cuts to Schools Building Programme10/07/10 23:59:00 Adam Gray
   Re:Cuts to Schools Building Programme12/07/10 17:19:00 John Hawkes
      Re:Re:Cuts to Schools Building Programme19/07/10 15:49:00 Adam Gray
         Re:Re:Re:Cuts to Schools Building Programme19/07/10 18:41:00 Richard Carter
            Re:Re:Re:Re:Cuts to Schools Building Programme20/07/10 00:39:00 Adam Gray
               Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Cuts to Schools Building Programme20/07/10 15:09:00 John Hawkes
                  Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Cuts to Schools Building Programme20/07/10 16:10:00 Suzanne Taylor
                     Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Cuts to Schools Building Programme20/07/10 17:07:00 John Hawkes
                     Cuts to Schools Building Programme20/07/10 17:10:00 Adam Gray
                        Re:Cuts to Schools Building Programme20/07/10 17:25:00 Suzanne Taylor
                           Re:Re:Cuts to Schools Building Programme20/07/10 18:03:00 Adam Gray
                              Re:Re:Re:Cuts to Schools Building Programme20/07/10 18:24:00 Suzanne Taylor
                                 Re:Re:Re:Re:Cuts to Schools Building Programme20/07/10 19:50:00 Adam Gray
                                    Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Cuts to Schools Building Programme20/07/10 20:55:00 Suzanne Taylor
                                       Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Cuts to Schools Building Programme22/07/10 18:51:00 Jane Eades
                           Re:Re:Cuts to Schools Building Programme20/07/10 18:24:00 John Hawkes
                              Re:Re:Re:Cuts to Schools Building Programme20/07/10 22:20:00 Alan Thomson
                                 Re:Re:Re:Re:Cuts to Schools Building Programme22/07/10 13:12:00 Adam Gray
                                    Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Cuts to Schools Building Programme25/07/10 20:47:00 Martine Guy

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