Tories in disarray over sales of former school sites

2.02.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 26th Sep 2006

Whilst the Conservatives on Northamptonshire County Council are refusing the Liberal Democrats request to reconsider the decision to sell off former school sites to one developer, the Northampton North Conservatives are following the lead of the Liberal Democrats in Northampton in opposing the development of the old Parklands Middle School site.

Councillor Richard Church, Leader of the Lib Dems on the County Council said; "The Conservatives are acting in an arrogant way by refusing to reconsider this decision in light of the public objections. Not one Conservative County Councillor signed the call in notice, not even the councillor for Parklands, Brandon Eldred.

The sale of the school site is dependent on housing development being given planning permission. Yet the Conservatives on their web site say they are against the development, how hypocritical can they get."

The "Call-In" procedure requires signatures from ten councillors, and from a Chair of a Scrutiny Committee, all five of whom are Conservatives, and not one of them agreed the "call-in" request. Councillor Eldred was emailed to seek his support for the call-in but did not respond.

Liberal Democrats believe that local communities should have a say in how the school land is used, it may be that parts of certain sites could have an alternative use.