BRISTOL, UNITED KINGDOM - FEBRUARY 23: A primary school pupil at the Bridge Learning Campus completes his school work in a classroom at the school on February 24, 2010 in Bristol, England. The 40million GBP campus in Hartcliffe, Bristol, was constructed as part of the Government's Building Schools for the Future programme and opened in January 2009. It now offers over 800 pupils a life long provision of learning from nursery, reception and primary to secondary and post-16 education. As the UK gears up for one of the most hotly contested general elections in recent history it is expected that that the economy, immigration, the NHS and education are likely to form the basis of many of the debates. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

Haringey Lib Dems ‘lack will to boost schools’

by Flora Drury Saturday, September 8, 2012
11:00 AM

Haringey’s Liberal Democrat councillors have been blasted by their Labour opponents for a lack of commitment to improving education.

Just six Lib-Dem councillors (28 per cent) sit as governors at Haringey schools, compared to 14 Labour councillors (41pc).

Labour criticised an apparent lack of will among their rivals to take the bull by the horns, on the back of stinging criticism from the Lib-Dem camp over the borough’s A-level results.

School governing bodies agree budgets and help decide “key issues”.

Among the Lib-Dems, two sit on the governing bodies of secondary schools, and four on primaries.

The Labour councillors sit on the boards of nine primaries, three nurseries and six secondaries, thanks to four councillors each sitting as governors for two schools.

A Labour spokesman said: “[Lib-Dem education spokesman Cllr Katherine Reece’s] disparaging remarks about the achievements of Haringey students this summer are even more cynical given that so few of her Lib-Dem colleagues are willing to get involved as school governors and help push improvements in their local schools.”

But Cllr Reece said Lib Dem governors’ numbers were fluid, adding: “We want all Haringey students to do as well as they can and our comments are not intended to imply criticism of any pupils. We are critical of the Labour council who have now been running Haringey for more than 40 years.

“In that time other struggling boroughs have improved but Haringey still lags behind.” She added: “They are in charge - they should be tackling the problem.”