Dear Zac
Thank you for your very prompt reply. Sadly it does little to alleviate any of my concerns, nor address many of the issues raised.
I would indeed like you to forward my letter to Mr Henderson.
You reference the timeline and 'possible changes at the Russell School'. Nowhere in that document does it mention any land at the Russell being sold - but it was made abundantly clear to parents at the public meeting in July that this was exactly the plan. Even the areas of the Russell to be sold and the % of school land this would entail were detailed. To say therefore that the changes to the Russell were in the timeline is disingenuous to say the least.
Similarly, you say no plans to sell Strathmore have been made - but this is exactly what parents were told at the meeting in July.
Whilst I understand that there are numerous planning stages to go through, parents at the Russell school have this week been sent a one sided letter extolling the virtues of the scheme and been asked to sign a piece of paper endorsing the scheme, without any knowledge of these proposals.
I also know that the public bodies (like the council) have a statutory duty to get the maximum economic value for any land sold, which means it will go to a housing developer. I know this because I have an excellent source. You told me this was the case at the Public meeting on the North Kingston Free School in the Summer.
In short, parents at the Russell feel we have been given one side of the story on these plans, other information and proposals have been hidden from us, and we are being asked to approve a scheme without being told the key fact - it will involve the sell off of school land. So we are saying a firm no.
I would have hoped that you would be willing to support us in our opposition to these plans. Please let me know if you feel you can.
Yours sincerely
Richard Morris
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