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Protect our play spaces
• COUNCILLOR Martin Klute would have us believe that New Labour has a different position from that of the Lib Dems around school land sell-off, and that his party has in place “national planning policies” which have been breached regarding Hugh Myddelton Primary School (Lazy way to fund work, March 28).
The New Labour government certainly has the power to legislate, through planning or other policies, to end such sell-offs. Indeed, it promised to do so in its election manifesto of 1997. But, needless to say, almost 11 years on sell-offs are still occurring.
Since 1998, the New Labour government has approved at least 187 plans to sell school playing fields. Since 2001, a further 1,331 plots of less than 0.4 hectares of school land have been sold off (without the need for ministerial approval).
Of course, the Lib Dems must take the rap for approving the sell-off of children’s play and green spaces at Hugh Myddelton Primary School, not least because they chose to ignore independent advice that funding for improvements to the school could have been obtained from elsewhere.
Children’s play and green spaces need to be ring-fenced from the encroachment of private development, as our political masters simply cannot be trusted on the matter.
SHARON HAYWARD
Independent Working Class Association, WC1
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