Lynne Featherstone

Yesterday we – finally - had the Schools Adjudicator Panel was sitting in judgement as to who (of four bidders) will get to run the new secondary school in Haringey. With £28 million being ploughed in - and this school a vital addition in a vital part of the borough - this is critical.

Ironically, we (Liberal Democrats and Labour) are united in terms of a) believing that a community school is what is needed and indeed represents the vast bulk of local opinion and b) believing that the Government had no business imposing a competition process and then moving legislation to allow them to appoint an adjudicator to assess the bids – rather than leaving it to the Independent Schools Organisation Panel.

So, I - and many, many others - spoke in favour of the Local Authority bid. This isn’t because I love Haringey LEA (Local Education Authority) - but it was and has been clear all the way through that this bid knows the territory and fits the community and the outside bidders really didn't. And Head after Head, individuals, politicians and all gave thoughtful and balanced reasons for supporting the Local Authority bid.

What I want to know now - is how can the Panel turn this down? The criteria were filled and the local voice rang loud and clearly in a united view that only the Haringey bid would deliver. It would be a travesty if the Panel were to go against this. But hold the front page – it’s two weeks or more until the final curtain!