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Protesters turned out in force at City Hall on Monday night |
ACADEMY BATTLE FOR HIGH COURT
It’s not the end of the campaign, say– Pimlico School campaigners
PARENTS, teachers and pupils fighting to keep Pimlico School comprehensive have told schools chiefs: “We’ll see you in court.”
The warning follows a stormy meeting in City Hall on Monday night when schools chiefs finally rubber-stamped plans for the controversial Pimlico Academy opening in September.
David Hawker, council deputy chief executive, said: “Our decision to grant Pimlico School academy status is tremendously exciting and represents a huge step forward for pupils, parents and staff.
Campaigners slammed the decision, taken in 10 minutes, as a “disgrace” after more than 99 per cent of pupils parents and teachers wrote into the council opposing academy status.
It follows an earlier consultation where just four per cent of hundreds of responses backed the academy plan.
Teacher Padraic Finn, secretary of Westminster NUT, said: “This is certainly not the end of the campaign. Our lawyers say we’ve got a very good case and we are looking to get it off the ground within a month and take the council
to the High Court. At the school the atmosphere is very downbeat. People are outraged. How can the council flagrantly ignore public opinion.
“It makes an absolute mockery of the consultation process. We can’t believe how quickly the decision was made. It all points to the academy being a done deal – a decision that was sewn up before this whole consultation started.”
Mr Hawker said: “The council is extremely confident there are no grounds for a judicial review and we are not aware that an application for a review has been lodged.
“Should this be the case, Westminster Council is in full belief that the decision taken to reopen Pimlico School as an academy is lawful and is in the best interests of the school and its pupils.”
But the heated conflict between Westminster Council, academy sponsor Future and Pimlico campaigners is certain to reach the courts one way or another.
The headquarters of John Nash’s firm Sovereign Capital, in Buckingham Gate, Victoria, has faced weekly protests from campaigners opposed to his connection with the school.
A leaked letter from Mr Nash to campaigners threatens legal action.
The letter reads: “If anything like this ever happens again we will cease all dialogue with the PSA permanently. All eight people in question are in the process of being identified and legal proceedings may follow. That is out of my hands.”
And Westminster Council is already in talks with its legal department about action against 10 teachers and ex-governors who stormed the school, setting up an overnight camp in the playground, a fortnight ago. |
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