Yesterday, the High Court gave two judgments on the legal challenge to the appropriation of part of Dundonald Rec in order to expand Dundonald Primary. To exercise its powers lawfully, Merton’s Council cabinet had to determine the land was no longer required for its present purpose, that is as public open space. The Court looked […]

We’ve been very clear in our opposition to the expansion of Dundonald Primary onto parts of Dundonald Rec, but we think there are wider issues to be drawn out – and also the question of the alternatives. We hope to give you an idea to our thinking below. Our view Merton Council has chosen to […]

The Wimbledon Guardian reports that the plans to expand Dundonald primary onto Dundonald recreation ground have suffered another setback, after objections to the expansion by Sport England (the body that promotes and protects sports facilities) were reinstated. The setback comes just two weeks after Merton Council won a legal case to remove restrictions imposed by […]

London’s Mayor Boris Johnson has said in a letter that he will not intervene in Merton Council’s plans to build on part of Dundonald Rec. Merton Council’s planning application committee approved plans to expand Dundonald Primary onto the Rec on 17 January 2013, but also had to consult Boris, who is responsible for protecting open […]

Merton Council’s planning application committee has tonight approved plans to expand Dundonald Primary onto part of Dundonald Rec. Under the plans the public will lose full or partial access to around 5% of the Rec. The Council is also seeking removal of the legal protection against building on the Rec. However, it is still open […]

It was announced today that Merton will receive an extra £5.3 million for schools in 2012/13. The cash is an increase in the Pupil Premium funding, which targets extra money to schools depending on the number of children from disadvantaged backgrounds they have. The Pupil Premium is a major Liberal Democrat priority that is being […]

Merton is get an extra £2.2 million to deliver 15 hours free weekly childcare and nursery schooling for two-year-olds from the most hard-pressed families, the Coalition Government has announced. This is great news, and comes on top of nearly £500,000 more for building projects to support ‘early years’ schooling, for example, converting part of an […]

The Wimbledon Guardian is reporting that Merton Council is considering turning the Centre Court Shopping Centre car park into a new school, and/or buying back a part of Singlegate Primary School in Colliers Wood, which had been previously sold off. We don’t quite know what they decided, as the public were excluded from the part […]

Pleased to see this initiative from Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg. Not only was targeted money for the most disadvantaged children in our schools – the ‘Pupil Premium’ – in the Lib Dem manifesto in 2010, but it’s exactly who we should be helping the most. So much of our lives, our life chances, are […]

Merton’s education spokesman, Cllr Peter Walker, was sacked on Thursday after being filmed ripping down a teenager’s fundraising poster from the railings around Dundonald Rec. 15 year old Ben Baulkwill, who lives on Graham Road, had put up posters on railings around the Rec before Easter, but these had been torn down. Ben had wanted […]