Barnet council should appeal over Building Schools for the Future money

Barnet Unison write about the loss of Building Schools for the Future money:

Ravenscroft School – an outstanding school

Ravenscroft was one of six schools which were due for improvements under the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme. The other Barnet Schools are Bishop Douglass RC, Copthall, Oak Lodge, St Mary’s CE High, The Pavilion.

The reason given for the projects to be scrapped by Education Secretary Michael Gove was: “The whole way we build schools needs radical reform.”

Barnet Schools were not the only schools to receive this bad news. However, some councils responded differently. What was Barnet Council’s response?

Councillor Andrew Harper, Barnet Council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for education, children and families, said: “Of course it is disappointing that the funding earmarked to improve six Barnet schools will not be available, but we knew this day was coming.”

Some Councils decided that there was a need to fight this decision.

· Sandwell Council in the West Midlands has already appointed lawyers in a bid to retrieve funding worth £200m.

· Nottingham City Council and Bradford Metropolitan District Council are also considering legal action.

Sign our petition asking Barnet to appeal the decision to withdraw funding from Ravenscroft and the other five Barnet Schools.

To obtain a copy of the petition email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk or telephone UNISON office 020 8359 2088.

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Vicki comments: unlikely as it might seem, given their track record in the last few weeks, Barnet Tory administration seem in this case to be doing everything they can to help the central government. They don't want to embarass Cameron and Gove for knocking BSF on the head! What about the interests of Barnet residents, parents, students and education staff? Was it not at least worth an appeal?!