PARENTS MEETING MP TO TALK ABOUT CRUMBLING SCHOOL

ANGRY parents campaigning for a crumbling Coventry school to be re-built will be meeting with a city MP this week.

Members of the parent action group are meeting with defence secretary Bob Ainsworth, MP for Coventry North East on Friday (tomorrow).

Campaigners are calling for John Gulson Primary School, in George Street, Foleshill, to be re-built because of its poor state.

Last week more than 30 mums and dads, who’s children attend the school, demonstrated outside the council house with placards, and carried pictures of the school’s peeling paint, leaking cisterns and cracked plaster.

They handed in a petition with 1,346-signatures to a cabinet meeting that was headed by Councillor John Blundell (Con, Wainbody).

The cabinet member for children, learning and young people said that there wasn’t enough money for a new building and pledged a programme of maintenance and improvements instead.

He pledged that the council would team up with governors and an architect to plan maintenance and improvements. He also said there is a proposal to install modular buildings or “huts” in the grounds to cope with an expected increase in pupil numbers and to accommodate existing pupils, while their classrooms are improved.

He said: “We will use what money we have got and any additional money we get to alleviate the problems as much as possible.

Member of the parent action group Sam Begum, who has three children that attend the school, said that some progress is being made.

She said: “We have got a little bit further because at first we were told their is no chance the school will be re-built but now we’ve been told that if it is economically viable it might be considered.

“What we don’t want is this architect to make everything colourful and give the illusion of extra space, he’s not a magician, either there is extra space or there’s not.

“We don’t want children being crammed into small spaces or being taught from huts.

“This is why we’re meeting with Bob Ainsworth because this school is not in an acceptable state and we will continue our campaign.”

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