It was an interesting morning on education matters. Cllr, Penny Frost, Chair of the Education Committee, and Mark Tuffney, Head of Lowther Primary School, gave evidence consistent with what was said to the Planning Committee in July 2023. To what extent they had updated their thinking since is debatable. It was difficult to read as no recent statements had been filed by either of them. Maybe we will hear more from Henry Kilpin, the Borough School Placements Officer, next week.

We then heard from Cllr. Niki Crookdake, taking James Whelan, Head of Richmond Park Academy,
Laura Ellener, Head of Chiswick High School, Kelly McEvoy, of Thomson House Primary School, and
Geoffrey Stanton, on Sixth Forms numbers and policy. Since we had had no advance notice nor written statement of what Cllr. Frost and Mr Tuffney intended to say, it was a bit rich that Counsel for Richmond and for the developers complained they had not been given adequate notice of their evidence. That did not appear to hinder some robust cross-examination. Interesting that Counsel for Richmond found that necessary.

Suffice to say that parts of the issue are complicated! Watching the livestreaming is recommended. Regrettably through some technical error the livestreaming was connected to the afternoon session and not contemporaneous. This was not detected until mid-morning. You will be able to watch it tomorrow, to study the evidence from the schools’ representatives, who fundamentally all argued that the proposed secondary school was not needed.

Watch out also for the video of an out of control van heading from the builders’ yard across Sheen Lane to the gates of Thomson House School.

Friday we are starting early at 930am because representations were not reached today from Tim Catchpole, Chair of the Mortlake with East Sheen Society, Richard White on the fake letters of support for the applications, and Cllr Crookdake.