Greens call for new secondary school

31 October 2007

Brighton & Hove Green Party have today launched a petition calling for the city council to lobby central government for the funds to build a new secondary school in central Brighton.

The central Brighton area suffers from a severe lack of secondary places, creating pressure on catchment areas. The result is often long bus or car journeys to and from school which are unnecessary.

Queen’s Park Green councillor Rachel Fryer commented “It is shocking that young people who live in the city centre have to travel more than four miles every day to get to and from school. This costs them valuable learning time and makes the day more tiring and less enjoyable. Although the new admissions system is an improvement, the only long term solution is to have a city centre school which young people can walk to. Our policy is for young people to attend their local school wherever possible. But for too many young people in the city there is no local school.”

Cllr Amy Kennedy, Green member for Preston Park, added “The decision made by the previous New Labour administration to close COMART was a disaster, and the effects are still reverberating. To have done this without making any adequate alternative provision when all the signs are that the local population is rising steadily is utter madness. Brighton & Hove desperately needs a new school in a central location, and Green councillors will continue to fight for this.”

Jason Kitcat, Green candidate for Regency ward noted, “Local children should be able to walk to their own local school. Our city is choking from traffic as it is, we need cut down on unnecessary journeys by thinking and acting locally. We believe central Brighton deserves an excellent new secondary school.”

The New School Petition can be signed online at http://www.brightonandhovegreenparty.org.uk/go/newschool

Notes to editors:

For further information contact
Lizzie Deane, External Communications Co-ordinator, on 01273 702597 or 07899 843206.

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