Council 'Anxiously' Awaits School Funding News

Chiswick Community's redevelopment remains under threat

Hounslow Council are 'anxiously' awaiting news about funding for Chiswick Community School after its Building Schools for the Future (BSF) projects came under threat from spending cuts.

The Department for Education's announcement of a comprehensive spending review prompted parents of pupils to launch an online petition urging the Secretary of State for Education to maintain the promised funds for refurbishing and rebuilding the Chiswick secondary school.

Sachin Gupta, Hounslow’s executive member for education, told ChiswickW4.com, “Like all other Local Authorities within England, we are anxiously waiting for news of the Building Schools for the Future scheme.

"We are supportive as much as we can be but for the time being we continue to await any firm decisions from ministers.”

Jo Lovatt, Secretary of the PTA at Chiswick wrote to the families stating "The Government announced last week that it was cutting back funding from several key areas, including Education. A number of parents are therefore concerned that we are in danger of losing the money previously held by central government to back our “Building Schools for the Future” status.

 "If, like us, you would like to fight to make sure that we hold on to our future, would you kindly sign the attached petition and ask anyone else you know to join us. So far, a number of local primary schools have backed the campaign as have 3 of the external groups who use the School to host their own clubs. However, it really needs a mass appeal if we have a chance of it being considered so PLEASE help us by asking anyone you know who has an interest.

 "We have tried to lodge a petition with the Prime Minister’s office, but that facility is no longer available; we also have a number of people writing to their local MP to raise this as an issue. If you would like to do the same then please send the letters to the following MP’s:-

Mary MacLeod –     Brentford and Isleworth
Angie Bray -          Ealing Central and Acton
Stephen Pound -     Ealing North
Virendra Sharma - Ealing, Southall
Andy Slaughter -    Hammersmith

"You can write to them at the House of Commons, LONDON SW1A 0AA."

The petition states: 'Whilst giving due respect to the current economic climate, we, the undersigned urge the Secretary of State for Education, to maintain the promised funds for refurbishing and rebuilding Chiswick Community School under the Building Schools for the Future programme.

July 5, 2010