LEWISHAM: Mums' rooftop protest into second week but council refuses to budge (From News Shopper)

LEWISHAM: Mums' rooftop protest into second week but council refuses to budge

1:11pm Wednesday 6th May 2009

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ANGRY mums have been protesting on the roof of a primary school for two weeks now, but the council is refusing to meet their demands.

Lewisham Bridge Primary School, in Elmira Street, Lewisham, will be replaced with an all-age foundation school on the same site, due to open fully in spring 2011.

But Lewisham Council plans to demolish the school this summer have been put on hold following the decision to grant the building Grade II listed status.

Pupils have already been re-located to a site in Deptford and several furious mums took to the roof of Lewisham Bridge in protest on April 23.

The mums have been on the roof day and night, and have vowed to continue the protest until the council returns pupils to the school.

Protestor Eleanor Davies, of Ermine Road, Lewisham, sends her five-year-old son Oliver to the school.

The 40-year-old said: “The council have still refused to meet us.

“It’s frustrating that the local authorities won't come speak to us but we are going to continue doing it.

“We are getting more and more support from people and we have collected more than 400 signatures for a petition.

“I really don’t think it’s over yet.”

A Lewisham Council spokeswoman said: "We respect this group’s right to protest, but we have provided many opportunities for parents and other interested parties to put forward their views.

“The council agreed some time ago to hold a meeting with parents, after the children had been in the new school site for a while, to discuss how well their children are settling in and any concerns they may still have about the decant arrangements.

"That meeting was held last week and went well."

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