Attorney General asked to intervene in school row (From Your Local Guardian)
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Attorney General asked to intervene in school row
9:03am Wednesday 15th February 2012 in News
The pavilion in Dundonald Recreation Ground
Campaigners fighting against redevelopment on a recreation ground have appealed to the Government’s chief law officer to overturn the council’s school expansion plans.
The Protect Dundonald Rec group, which launched in May 2011 in response to Merton Council’s proposals to expand Dundonald Primary School in Wimbledon, have requested the intervention of the Attorney General.
The group of parents and residents want Dominic Grieve MP to overturn the council’s plan to redevelop the pavilion on Dundonald Recreation Ground because they claim it contravenes a 118-year-old legal covenant.
Lorraine Maries, chairman of the group, said: “This Trust demonstrates that the land is held by the council for the public benefit.
“We have reported this to the Attorney General and we hope he will intervene to protect the public interest in keeping this land as Public Open Space, which is what we need most in this area.”
The move comes after the campaigners challenged the council’s claim that the pavilion on Dundonald Recreation Ground is dilapidated.
Under Freedom of Information laws, it was revealed the council generated £29,500 from hiring out the pavilion in the last financial year (2010/11) for 228 bookings for sporting activities.
In 2010, £50,000 was provided by the Government to install new playground equipment, with as much as £30,000 used by the council to renovate the pavilion in the 2009/10 financial year.
Mrs Maries added: “It is shameful that this money, which has been invested in a well used local facility, will just be thrown away if the pavilion is demolished and the children’s playground relocated."
But Merton Council’s cabinet member for education, Peter Walker, said the pavilion was in a “poor condition” and said a play group leader had recently condemned the condition of the building.
If the council’s plan to expand the school by redeveloping the pavilion wins planning permission in the spring, the wooden pavillion will be replaced by modern brick built changing rooms and community hall.
Coun Walker said: “At present the pavilion is in the middle of an unlit park, and as a result is only used once a week in the evenings.
“The new development will be directly accessible from Dundonald Road and make access far easier for the community.
On the prospect of the Attorney General intervening, Coun Walker commented: “They [Protect Dundonald Rec] constantly say the law will prevent us from expanding this school to accommodate 200 local children.
“Our advice from leading counsel is that they are mistaken.
“Merton Council has a legal obligation to accommodate local children and I am determined to fight for the rights of local children to be educated locally.”
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SAR1969 says...
10:00am Thu 16 Feb 12
1) has the Council not informed him that, as a result of the pre-planning consultation, the proposed location of the community facilities is now in the new proposed school building?
2) will he give details of the so called condemnation of the pavilion by a play group leader? Is it by any chance because, since the departure of the resident groundsman, the council has failed to provide a regular cleaning service, regular supply of basic sundries such as toilet paper etc. and as a consequence even the outdoor toilets are constantly locked and no longer open to the public?