Defiant Campaign Group Will Keep Fighting

Decisions on proposed sale of Elliott School fields postponed

The council has proposed to fund the refurbishment of the grade-II listed school, which is in a serious state of disrepair, by selling a portion of the site identified as “surplus”.

At last night’s Finance and Corporate Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting, discussions regarding the school were postponed as a report by the Borough Valuer was not ready.

Labour councillor Peter Carpenter argued that in the interests of openness and transparency the committee should still listen to the opposition, but this was voted against.

Ed Lattimore of the Save Elliott School campaign said: “Democracy has not prevailed but we will live to fight another day.”

Following the committee’s decision, the architect and former pupil said he felt they were being silenced, particularly as this was the second time a committee had refused to hear them.

Save Elliott School, residents of Westleigh Avenue, a spokesperson for former teachers and governors as well as architecture heritage preservation group the 20th Century Society all wanted to make deputations. They had staged a protest outside Wandsworth Town Hall beforehand.

A council spokesperson said:
"Our sole aim throughout has been to come up with coherent and realistic plans to provide a top quality and high achieving school for local children.

“We have listened to local people and significantly scaled back the amount of land we need to fund the school's refurbishment."

A local authority can only sell playing fields as a last resort and this must be demonstrated with other criteria in a Section 77 application to the Secretary of Education.

Originally the council proposed to sell 56% of the grounds, including a sports hall and technology wing, six tennis courts, a football pitch, athletics facilities, an outdoor amphitheatre, a nature garden and a care-takers lodge.

Following the submission of a 20-page critique on May 25th and deputations on June 11th by SES as well as proposal supporters, the council agreed in an internal meeting to reduce the amount of land proposed to 40%.

Wandsworth’s Cabinet Member for Education, Cllr Kathy Tracey said:
“We have the overwhelming support of the school’s governors, headteacher and parents to now move ahead with providing Elliott’s pupils with a bright, modern, first class school that’s fit for the 21st Century.”

The committee indicated that another meeting to discuss Elliott School and the Section 77 proposal would take place in August although a date has not yet been confirmed.

The council will give notice about the disposal of land, as it is obliged to, in the South London Press on Friday 6th and 13th July.

Jasmin Leitner

July 5, 2012