Liberal Democrats have welcomed long awaited plans unveiled by the Government this week to invest money in improving schools in Haringey, but have questioned details of the schemes.

New money, part of the London Challenge strategy, is planned to fund a new secondary school and sixth form as well as refurbishing and rebuilding all the borough’s schools by 2010. However the Lib Dems have warned that lessons must be learned from the failures of PFI for schools before proceeding and that money for building and improving must be matched with funding to recruit and retain good quality teaching staff.

Lib Dem Leader Ross Laird says that Haringey has, over the past few years, been the subject of a number of ‘false dawns’ for education, with the Government using the Labour run council as a testing ground for many new initiatives. The Lib Dems hope that this is not another initiative that will slowly die away after the media has lost interest.

Cllr Laird is particularly concerned at the potential waste of funds. Over the past few years many of Haringey’s poorer schools have undergone expensive refurbishment. Now, in light of these new plans, the same refurbished buildings could be pulled down and replaced by new ones less than five years after the improvements. Although he accepts that improvements are necessary, he is concerned at the lack of long term planning by the Council, education authority and Government and that this will lead to waste.

There are also serious concerns regarding the targets set out in the proposals. Since PFI was introduced for building schools in the borough many projects have failed to meet deadlines with schools closing early and opening late. The result is many schools losing valuable weeks off the school year or having to endure disruptions while building work continues during term time.

Cllr Laird is most concerned about the lack of emphasis from the Government and the Council with regard to improving teaching conditions. He says that although an improved working environment will make teaching and learning more enjoyable, unless greater support is given to staff recruitment and retention many of the problems in Haringey schools will continue.

Cllr Ross Laird comments:

“Finally schools in Haringey look like they will get some meaningful funding which could bring our schools into the 21st Century. Lib Dems have campaigned hard for greater investment in local schools. The Council must ensure that spending on schools is well planned and waste does not happen.

“Ultimately the Council, and the Government must tackle the problem of recruiting and retaining staff in Haringey. Until that issue is resolved education in the borough will continue to suffer.”