Labour invests £135 million in Lambeth’s schools

Brand new buildings for Lillian Baylis School

The Government has announced a huge £135 million investment programme in Lambeth’s schools following a successful campaign by local parents and their Labour MPs and Councillors. Much of Lambeth’s secondary school building stock will be upgraded and refurbished as a result of this funding which comes from the Government’s Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme.

Lambeth’s inclusion in the second wave of funding will bring huge benefits to local schools and their communities. The BSF money will help local school to open up to their communities by upgrading and extending their sports and technology facilities.

Local MPs Keith Hill, Tessa Jowell and Kate Hoey have all been lobbying Education Ministers for Lambeth to be included in the second wave of funding announced today. In August of this year Labour Councillors also visited Education Minister, Stephen Twigg MP, to put Lambeth’s case for funding directly to the Government.

Lambeth councillors putting the case for Lambeth's young people to Education minister Stephen Twigg MP

Lambeth’s Lib Dem controlled Council has twice failed to secure “Building Schools for the Future” money for Lambeth. Last time, they failed to convince the Government that they would spend the money efficiently. It has been left to opposition Labour Councillors to put the case for Lambeth’s young people and ensure that this Autumn’s cash round came the way of the Borough.

Cllr Sally Prentice, Labour’s Lead spokesperson on Education commented:

“I think this is fantastic news for young people in Lambeth. For so many years under the Tories our schools were left to deteriorate and children’s education suffered as a result. Real progress has already been made, but this money will see a step change in investment, producing tangible improvements in the educational environment of Lambeth’s young people.”

“With a new City academy in Clapham recently opened, with a further two to follow, a new school in Norwood, brand new buildings for Lillian Baylis and major refurbishment of other secondary schools in Lambeth - The biggest investment programme in secondary schools for a generation and shows Labour’s commitment to investing in Lambeth.”

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