TimJM

To suggest that 'ghostlymaiden's arguments are not racist is ridiculous. Immigration, according to some of the comments on this board, has supposedly resulted in crime, filth, smelly shops, an exodus of the white community and an inability of health inspectors to curb infringements because of timidity in the face of accusations of racism. If you want fear from crime look at some of the poor white class communities. And if you want referendums should other countries in other parts of the world (Spain for instance) be balloted about the hordes of drunken English tourists? Then we should move on to whether generations of UK troops were welcomed with 'ballots' around the world. The arguments about immigrant communities is repeated for every successive generation of Londoners. Frankly the exodus of people like 'ghostlymaiden' is something I greatly rejoice in (unfortunately you all seem to end up in far more dangerous suburbs with ominous numbers of English flags and swastikas). Personally if I can encourage more Africans to East Dulwich to encourage the racists to flee then I will.

Apparently, according to a previous post - "the deadline for submitting objections to the plans has been extended to Aug 5th" I submitted my objection to this address: planning.applications@southwark.gov.uk FAO: Gwilym Jones, Planning Control Chiltern Portland Street London SE17 2ES If the e-mail address doesn't work make doubly sure by sending the letter by ordinary mail. And in response to the 'dulwich_park_fairy' many of us simply object to handing over public assets to unaccountable private businesses. If that's considered 'self interest' (i.e saving tax payers money from unscrupulous private businessmen) then so be it. Perhaps the advocates could challenge the arguments of why people are opposed to academies as a means of running schools and why the Harris academies should be exempt from following the guidelines on planning applications and numbers per acre. Instead people seem content to simply slate as selfish those who question whether the school needs to be an academy and with too many pupils on such a small site.

Actually the meeting about the Harris Academy school is Wednesday night - July 4th at 7pm Southwark council meetings page.... http://www.southwark.gov.uk/YourCouncil/AgendasMinutes/AMCommunityCouncils/AMNunheadPeckhamRye.html Map detailing location of meeting venue: http://www.southwark.gov.uk/Uploads/FILE_28057.pdf (Walk into Cossall Park and look for the estate maps indicating where the Residents Association hall is) Agenda of tonight's meeting: http://www.southwark.gov.uk/Uploads/FILE_28053.pdf (Harris Academy presentation is item 7 scheduled for 7.30pm) Not sure why the meeting is in such an obscure location but hopefully somebody will turn up! Unfortunately I'll just be finishing work at that time in W12.

Well it's apparent we're never going to agree on this but even taking your logic the academy is a contradiction. If you believe that private schools are better run why is this one entitled to public money and public land? (While we're at it removing the charitable status of existing private schools would even up the amount they have to spend per pupil). You oppose nationalisation yet there are key services that even you don't want to risk to the vagaries of private capital. i.e. the police force and the army. The army investigated roll-on ferries and decided they were inherently unsafe. Private companies decided they were safe enough to make a profit from (even when the aptly named 'Herald of Free Enterprise' sinks costing 193 lives the private owners are unaccountable). Businesses can run risks with people's lives as long as the shareholders are happy. If Harris acdemy save costs and build and run unsafe, unsuccessful schools it's the politicians and the rest of us who pay the price and bale them out. Of course Adam Smith economists would point out that it wouldn't be a successful business thereafter as it would lose 'customers' but frankly how many reckless examples of private capital gambling with people's lives do you want? Railtrack continue to take vast sums of public money and cut costs on track maintainence. Compare the state invested railways and education systems of France and Germany with those of the UK and then explain how our system is so much better. The NHS internal markets are increasing bureaucracy, costs and sacking nurses. The academies are a step in the same direction. Successive govn's (Tory and New Labour) have already bought into the idea of internal markets and privitisation and the result is ever increasing chaos and lack of accountability. Nobody in favour of the new academy seems to be able to explain why an overcrowded school, run by unelected, unaccountable businessmen is a good thing. And I'm really curious to know whether any of the advocates of such a school would be daft enough to send their children there. (John Selwyn Gummer please step forward!)

By the same logic would you argue that, as the current society is insufficiently democratic, you'd like to give dictatorship a try?! Surely the issue here is about trying to improve on the accountability and question the goals of elected representatives. Not dispense with them altogether and hope and unelected, unaccountable body will improve things. It didn't work with the railways and a majority of professional opinions are strongly arguing it wont work in education.

We could engage in a debate about the relative merits of various LEAs (and I think if we disparage the state education system we'd have to compare the same systems in Europe) but in this case it's whether an unelected, unaccountable private 'academy' that is intent on taking ?30 million of public money, should engage in consultation with the community. Harris academies may appear like Victorian philanthropy but why is the space allocated per pupil so far short of those in other schools and so far short of the Dept of Education's recommendations? Despite the government's enthusiasm for private academies is there a number of pupils per acre that they would consider unacceptable and would step in to limit overcrowding? Are people happy to hand over public money to unaccountable private companies in every instance or should people be declaring their vested interests?

Well at least that explains why there's no playground. If there are going to be 950 pupils crammed onto the site I'd be supportive of a footbridge into Peckham Rye Park to minimise the liklihood of fatalities on the adjacent road. I'd still be against it being an academy rather than local authority run school.

I live opposite the proposed school it's reassuring to read the comments of people who live next to other schools in the area. However I would ask whether the private land available to the pupils at other schools is comparable to the 1.85 acres for the proposed Harris academy students. I'm opposed to any Academies (on the basis of the public money for private investors) and am not alone. Surveys of headteachers suggest a clear majority oppose the governments plans for the expansion of academies. i.e. http://education.guardian.co.uk/newschools/story/0,,1963587,00.html The National Union of Teachers is also opposed: http://www.teachers.org.uk/topichome.php?id=224 "The NUT believes that schools require highly qualified, motivated teachers and staff, working in a supportive environment to ensure high quality education. The Academies Initiative threatens the comprehensive education system." "Creating Academies involves the transfer of publicly funded assets to the control of an unaccountable sponsoring body, set up as a company limited by guarantee. Sponsors receive the entire school budget directly from the Government. Sponsors have responsibility for all aspects of the Academy, including staff appointments, pupil admissions, curriculum and governance arrangements. For a ?2m stake, sponsors receive enormous benefits, for example school buildings and grounds, Academy supply contracts, advertising, developing the kind of workers they need. " I also have concerns about these specific proposals, one being the lack of consultation and the fact that I've only just learnt of the plans. This is the letter I've sent to the local councillors and MPs: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I am a resident of Rye Court, Peckham Rye, Southwark and live alongside the site of the proposed Harris Boys Academy (see www.harrisboysacademy.co.uk ) I would like to complain about the lack of consultation regarding these proposals and the fact that so far I've had to rely on neighbours, hearsay and web searches to discover further details. It isn't apparent how a school of 950 pupils will be accommodated in such a small space (1.85 acres) and I'm sceptical of the view (from the Harris website) that the small area available on Friern Road will be in any way sufficient for traffic access. However my main concern is that this is the first time I've been able to hear of these proposals. I'm not opposed to a school in the area (or even on this site) but I am disappointed about the lack of consultation. Can you advise whether you will be able to prevent the project from proceeding until such a time as the planners have engaged in a proper consultation with the local community?