Haringey Council has neglected children’s safety by failing to fix a raw sewage leak at Bounds Green School, just yards from a drinking fountain. Alarm was raised on Friday last week when a member of the school’s staff contacted local Liberal Democrat councillor John Oakes saying that Haringey Council had been aware of the leak for the last ten years but had done nothing to repair it.

Cllr Oakes, as Health and Safety Governor of Bounds Green School, has threatened to have the school closed if Haringey Council does not deal with leak by the end of today. He has told council officers that he will ask Area Health Officer, Eugenia Cronin, to close the school unless the raw sewage leak is dealt with.

Cllr Oakes is now calling for an urgent health-audit of all other Haringey schools.

Cllr John Oakes, Bounds Green, comments:

“This is a serious threat to the health and safety of hundreds of children. Labour-controlled Haringey Council can always find funds for headline grabbing expenditure but consistently fail to deal with the basic maintenance necessary to keep our children safe.”

Lynne Featherstone MP adds:

“I am truly shocked that Haringey Council has not recognised the seriousness of this situation. We cannot have our children going to school with raw sewage yards away from their drinking water. This needs to be fixed now, no excuses.”