Brockley Society, at the request of a number of parents of Gordonbrock Primary School, has agreed to hold an extra meeting to discuss their legal action against the Council with regards to the planning application for the school. Their invitation reads:
"OPEN MEETING: Proposals for refurbishment of Gordonbrock School. Tuesday 4 May, 8pm-9.30pm, Crofton Park Baptist Church, Brockley Grove (cnr Huxbear Street), SE4 1EA.
Brockley Society would like to present its alternative proposals to those of Lewisham council for the modernisation of Gordonbrock School. Working with a number of Gordonbrock parents and our architect, we have sought to demonstrate that there are alternatives to demolition and rebuilding, still achieving all of the goals for the school, and within budget.
We will explain why we intervened, and why so late. There will also be an opportunity for all interested parties to express their views and ask questions. All welcome."
A number of parents from Gordonbrock have asked that the motion below be put to the meeting:
"In light of the current economic climate and the certainty that budget for a school refurbishment shall be lost should work not commence this financial year, the Brockley Society shall offer no further objections to the redevelopment of Gordonbrock School".
I'm anticipating a lively and well-attended meeting, and (optimistically perhaps) hoping some kind of common ground can be found within the community.
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8 comments:
There they all were outside the school this morning ... the zealots with their leaflets and clipboards and, by pure coincidence, Joan Ruddock, handing out Labour leaflets. Didn't disagree with Ms Ruddock, didn't want to be dubbed a bigot.
It's all very New Labour, isn't it? Don't anyone dare disagree with them.
Whats wrong with being passionately committed to your child's education?
There are some very angry parents at Gordonbrock who don't like the way certain members of the Brockley Society have lied their way through this in order to get support.
Why shouldn't the parents of Gordonbrock hand out leaflets, when members of the Brockley Society have swamped FaceBook and the greenladywell blog web sites.
Glad the Brockley Society has agreed to hold the meeting, since they are constitutionally obliged to do so (the person calling the meeting having been 50 signatories to that effect).
I am sure they will explain (yet again) the reasons why they did what they did.
However, parents from either side of the debate will be more interested in ensuring that the school (which we are all united in wanting to be rebuilt) DOES get rebuilt with modern facilities.
The window of opportunity may already have passed. If it transpires that this is the case then parents current and future will know who closed off that chance, as the school size grows and the Portacabins go up in the playground.
The Brockley Society have an opportunity to be magnanimous and Tuesday is there chance to do this.
I feel that the Brockley Society does a very good job and I support most of what they do. However, why because I do not support them on this issue does that mean that I can't be a member of the society?
Is it right that only people who live in the conservation area have the right to vote/make decisions about issues that are not within the conservation area? Why is it those who will be directly affected are not entitled to vote?
If Broc Soc's remit covers the whole of Lewisham then all residents of the borough of Lewisham should automatically be members of the society. It's not democratically right that a small, unrepresentative & unelected group make decisions for the rest of us.
Therefore I urge The Brockley Society to permit attendees at 4th May meeting to vote on the motion put forward by Simon Newman.
The zealots with the head endorsed leaflets, put up on the railings as though it was official information from the school. Full of mistakes and we aren't just talking grammar. Are they lies?
There are lots of passionate people out there parents and otherwise.
Given the amount of previous discussion it is a shame such angry parents didn't get involved with trying to improve what was on offer months ago. If they are passionately committed to their children's education then why did they not try and improve the school scheme. An outcry about trying to cram so many children onto one site might have improved their lot.
to Jo Armes
in order to be a member of BrocSoc you have to support their remit, which is the preservation of historical buildings and architecture.
So, if you want to demolish an Edwardian school how can you then say you're supportive of the BrocSoc's aims??? It doesn't make sense, does it!
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