Primary school places a ticking time bomb, say new Labour councillors

The shortage of primary school places in Hove and Portslade has been described as a ‘ticking time bomb’ by two new Labour councillors in the area.

Alan Robins and Anne Pissaridou, who were elected to South Portslade and Wish wards respectively in May’s local elections, are both urging the minority Green administration to tackle the problem urgently and ensure a new primary school is created in the area.

Cllr Pissaridou, whose convincing election in Wish was a high point for Labour in the local elections, says the uncertainty surrounding junior school places that is faced by parents in West Hove is unacceptable.

She said: “If the Council doesn’t act to provide more locally available junior school places soon, then parents will have to travel as far as Mile Oak to send their kids to school and if they’ve got two kids, with one going to an infant school in South Portslade and one junior child attending Mile Oak, then it’ll be a nightmare to drop their kids off and pick them up on time.”

Cllr Robins, who reports that parents in south Portslade may be forced to send their children to Mile Oak due to a shortage of places, added: “For too long we have only seen sticking-plaster solutions to address the chronic shortage of Primary School places in Hove and Portslade. That’s why we want to make the Green Council aware of this ticking time bomb as soon as possible, to get some action on a proper new primary school for Hove.”

The councillors are to express their concerns at a full council meeting at 4.30pm on Thursday 21st July at Brighton Town Hall.

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Tags: Alan Robins, Anne Pissaridou