Merton Council has revealed its preferred site for a new free school is in south Wimbledon - but would not rule out building on a much-loved adult education centre and primary school in Raynes Park.

May: £130 million for huge school expansion programme

July: Secondary school delay fails to dampen fears that Joseph Hood Primary School is under threat

Harris Federation - which already runs academies in Mitcham and Morden, has expressed interest to the council to provide a new secondary school by 2017 to help deal with an estimated 2,000-place shortfall.

The secret top-choice site, which cannot be disclosed for commercial reasons, was revealed at a closed Labour-member meeting on Saturday.

But at the same meeting, councillors confirmed that Joseph Hood Primary School and the Adult Education Centre in Whatley Avenue had not been ruled out of the shortlist.

Wimbledon Times:

Back-up site? Joseph Hood Primary School and the Adult Education Centre in Whatley Avenue 

Outraged Joseph Hood staff and governors, who said they were thrown out of the meeting because they weren't Labour members, have accused the council of "lying" about its intentions for their school's future.

Chairwoman of governors Posey Furnish said: "We were truly shocked that the leader of the council kicked us out of a meeting to discuss proposals that could lead to the closure or relocation of our school ...This latest incident is a real indictment of how little they value not just our school, but also democracy and probity."

She added: "Merton leaders continue to lie to us about their intentions towards Joseph Hood Primary. Having 'no intention to close a school' is not the same as saying you will not close a school."

Wimbledon Times:

"Doing all we can to address the secondary school crisis" - Merton Council leader Stephen Alambritis

Council leader Stephen Alambritis denied they were "kicked out" of the meeting and said he has since invited governors to meet with him to go through the presentation this week.

He said: "The status of the meeting always was a meeting for Labour party members.

"Having said that, Posey was kind enough to meet me in my office there and then so we spoke about the whole issue and the issue around secondary school places.

He added: "There will be meetings and consultations about the preferred site. It's not about keeping anything from anyone.

"This is a huge issue on secondary school places. We have a right to meet between ourselves about this. It's not as though they were kicked out."

Asked if he could guarantee that Joseph Hood will not close in the next two years, Coun Alambritis said: "We are doing all we can to address the secondary school crisis affecting the whole of London and our preferred site is south Wimbledon.

"That's the site we are working on as we speak and that's the site that Harris are happy with and the Education Funding Agency (EFA) are working on with our council officers."

The decision about where to build a new free school has split Merton's Labour group.

Councillor Peter Walker, who represents Figge's Marsh in Mitcham, said: "When the £80m expansion of Merton’s primary schools was planned in 2011, the council conducted one of the most extensive consultations on potential sites in public.

"As a result we delivered successfully the expansion of local schools. It is vital if we are to carry the public with us, that we now publish potential sites for the secondary expansion.

"In particular we must drop the madcap scheme to hand over Joseph Hood to Harris, after just expanding that school to accommodate young children in Wimbledon."

Wimbledon Times:

Breaking ranks: Labour Councillor Peter Walker speaks out about his party's plans

Three secondary schools - Harris Academies Merton and Morden, and St Mark's Academy in Mitcham - will also be expanded as part of the council's £130m building programme.

Any new school must now be an academy or free school under Government rules.

Chris Randall, director of new developments at Harris Federation, said: "The key decision makers on free school sites are the EFA and the council since they agree the funding between them of the site and building works.

"We have been consulted on the feasibility of a number of sites and have indicated those that we are happy we could work with to the council and the EFA."

WHERE IN SOUTH WIMBLEDON COULD THE NEW SCHOOL BE?

Wimbledon Times:

The council said it could not identify the preferred location for commercial reasons, but it was previously looking at the following sites:

- Paris Church of All Saints Church, All Saints Road, south Wimbledon

- South Wimbledon Community Centre and Youth Centre site, 72 Haydon's Road

- Industrial buildings and garages next to Merton Abbey Primary School in High Path