Cash - ED Primary Schools

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News Flash

Dear

Following our campaign and hard efforts over the Summer and following two meetings I have had with the Schools Minister, Vernon Coaker, I am pleased to be able to report that Southwark has been allocated an extra ?12 million by the government towards the capital funding needed for new school places in the East Dulwich area.

This is great news and should prevent the sort of chaos we saw in the East Dulwich area earlier in the year over the allocation of primary school places. Lambeth has also received a generous allocation of ?9 million following further campaigning by myself and parents.

Following the mess Southwark got itself into over the summer I wrote to the Department of Children, Schools and Families making the case for further funding for Southwark.

I will continue to monitor Southwark's performance in the manner in which it treats parents during what was for many, last summer, such a stressful time and made worse by the council's apparent indifference in response. Southwark must up its game in the way that it advises, informs and support parents. I will also be keen to ensure that the money is put to good use so that we see a real improvement in the number of primary school places available.

Whilst I know some parents will understandably remain dissatisfied with Southwark's poor performance last summer I hope they will be able to take heart from this achievement and what it will mean for parents next year and beyond.

With best wishes

Tessa Jowell MP

Thanks Tessa, MP me and I will be leafletting Labour in May!

Just in case, hope its election proof money!

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Pity it's posted by Tessa in the Forum as money for a new school....sure that's just a slip *whistles* . Hope your leaflets make it absolutely clear.

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I know i have been kicking up a stink about this but i'm no politician, just a parent who found herself surrounded by very upset neighbours over the summer. The leaflet thing refers to a previous comment where i said i would leaflet for anyone who comes up with real action rather than spin, not a real statement of party politics.

The scrutiny raised questions around a new school and it may well not solve the problems predicted over the next few years.

There is going to be a lot of political point scoring over all this and we need to keep out of it and focus on the key issues of extra places (one way or another) and to ensure a proper boost if any schools are expanded or bulged.

So far TJMP has really come through for ED, we should still push to ensure that promises of cash are real (could not be changed post election) and imediate.