Parents and children across the borough ask - where are our new schools?

12.00.00am GMT Tue 17th Nov 2009

Liberal Democrats have called on Greenwich Council to explain delays in its Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme.

Lib Dem Group leader Cllr Brian Woodcraft says "BSF is the Government's investment programme for secondary schools. Greenwich was one of the first authorities to be selected for BSF but according to Government figures it is seriously lagging behind other councils."

Originally Greenwich was working in tandem with Lewisham and Southwark but progress has been very different in the three boroughs since the partnership broke up.

Lib Dem-led Southwark has been praised for meeting all its deadlines and has won an award for the best BSF programme.

In Lewisham over 2,500 children are benefiting from improved facilities at Catford High and Sedgehill Schools.

Meanwhile of the five BSF programmes in Greenwich Schools, none is complete.

Cllr Woodcraft continued:

"Crown Woods does seems to be making some progress, but there is little to show at Thomas Tallis while work has not even started at Eltham Hill or Plumstead Manor. At John Roan the Council needs to respond constructively to the Governors decision to remain on the existing sites.

"Council Leader Chris Roberts and Cabinet Member Jackie Smith need to be less evasive and more forthcoming about what has gone wrong. Councillor Smith tells me that there is an "affordability gap" in the Eltham Hill project. Why is this? Why is Greenwich being so slow? Are our children suffering as a result?"