A primary school’s governors are considering legal action after the council decided to push on with plans to close it, despite opposition by 62 per cent of parents and teachers.
Rosie Wait, chairwoman of governors at Sulivan Primary School, said they may consider applying for a judicial review of Hammersmith and Fulham Council’s decision.
She claims the council has ignored the findings of a public consultation into its proposals to merge the school with nearby New King’s, in Fulham, to tackle low admission rates.
The consultation showed that 2,226 people objected to the closure and 1,367 in favour.
However, in a move described as ‘perverse’, the authority has decided to push on with the next phase of the consultation based on responses from parents only - excluding objections from teachers, governors, pupils and other members of the public.
Councillor Georgie Cooney, cabinet member for education, said she must listen to the wishes of parents in although just a slim majority of 52 per cent (1,107) supported the merger.
However, of that number only 60 were parents from Sulivan or New King’s. The council said the remainder included many supporters of new free school Fulham Boys, which the council would like to take over the Sulivan site.
In total, 1,693 people from the Save Our Sulivan campaign voted against the plans and just 57 affiliated with New King’s were in favour.
Ms Cooney said: “There is clearly a large response from people associated with Sulivan School who have passionate views against the proposal.
“That is very understandable. However, we have to take a wider view and look at what is best for families, right across the borough and we have to be able to take difficult decisions in response to the needs and wishes of all parents.
“The strength of response on both sides of this issue has led us to decide to continue to the next phase of the process.”
Ms Wait said: “They have made a mockery of having a consultation at all.
“The fact is that out of nearly 3,600 votes, only 60 parents from Sulivan or New King’s are in support of closing Sulivan, which makes this decision outrageous.
“It was made clear to us that this consultation was not about Fulham Boys but about closing Sulivan and at a later date they would have to consult separately on Fulham Boys School. They have not done this.
“They set up the whole consultation to have everyone against each other. They have created an unnecessary environment where headteachers are competing with one another.”
Paul Kennedy, chairman of Hammersmith and Fulham Liberal Democrats, called the council’s decision ‘perverse and ideological’.
He said: “As the council admits, supporters of Fulham Boys School would like the Sulivan site for their school. Their wishes are understandable, but are not a proper basis for closing a successful and popular primary school serving the local community. Other sites may be available and there has been no proper consultation on the free school itself.”
Sulivan has since applied to the Department for Education for academy status, in a desperate move to save it from closure.
Jennette Arnold, Labour Assembly Member, was due to ask Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, to comment on the future of Sulivan, on behalf of the campaign, at City Hall this morning.
