New school

I respect the fact that you are representing the interests of the residents of your ward in campaigning for a new secondary school in the north of Kingston.

However, I am concerned that you may be doing so at the expense of your role as Conservative group spokesman for education, and that you have not addressed the dangers that your proposals could cause to education in other parts of the borough.

My concern lies in the fact that any new school in the north of Kingston would require a substantial number of students to attract funding from the Government and be cost effective to run.

The fact that there are insufficient students in the north of the borough would mean that the new school would have to attract students who would otherwise have attended Hollyfield or Coombe Girls' schools, as well as Grey Court which is heavily attended by many Kingston children.

This would inevitably have undesirable consequences for these schools in terms of funding and curriculum provision.

I know that we share a common desire to maintain high educational standards throughout the whole of the borough, so I would be interested to know how you would address the knock-on effects that a new school in north Kingston would have on other secondary schools, and how you would reassure parents across Kingston who are concerned about the effect of your plans on their children's education.

I would also like to clarify whether your support for a new secondary school in north Kingston represents the official policy of the Conservative group of councillors on Kingston Council.

COUNCILLOR DEREK OSBOURNE

Leader of Kingston Council