By Councillor Peter Walker, Merton Council cabinet member for education (Labour, Figge's Marsh ward)

My colleague, Councillor Hilton, rightly congratulates Merton’s pupils in achieving their best results ever in GCSE’s passes.

However I think he needs to be taken to task for then crediting this improvement on the last Conservative Council in Merton.

He does however make a valid point. The Council must make provision for the growing number of children wanting to attend our schools.

As he knows, when Labour came to power in May 2010 there were new primary school places planned at just 7 schools.

In addition there was a vague plan for a new two form entry school on land we did not own, and which the owner was unwilling to sell.

According to officers it would not have produced any places until 2014 and at a cost 50 per cent higher than if we expanded existing schools.

I advised the Council to act with urgency and expand good and outstanding primary schools where possible.

As a direct result we will be able to admit children this September at 12 additional schools on top of the seven original planned by the Conservatives when they were in power.

Several of the school expansions this autumn are for one year “bulge” classes. Our plan is to ensure these expansions become permanent.

To do this we need cross party support. I would appeal through your columns for Councillor Hilton to ask his fellow Conservative councillors in Wimbledon to support these plans.

As he knows, permanent expansions are being actively opposed by his colleagues.

If they succeed we will not be able to accommodate children in Wimbledon in local schools and we will be letting down them and their parents.

He's had his say, but what do YOU think? Leave a comment below or send your letter to: letters@wimbledonguardian.co.uk

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