Lesson is: schools are not for sale

Glyn Rowlands, Haringey UNISON and Tottenham CLP, reports on the battle against privatisation in the London Borough of Haringey.

"The PFI is a battering ram introduced by the Tories in order to privatise the state. In public finance terms it is irrational, extravagant and almost improper." So said Haringey parent and Observer editor, Will Hutton, speaking at a UNISON fringe meeting at this year's Labour Party Conference.

Will Hutton, along with many other Haringey parents, now has real cause for concern about his children's education as the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) hits Haringeys schools in a big way.

Haringey Council is planning an £87 million PFI project for Haringey schools. It plans to hand over the running of our secondary schools for a period of between 20 and 30 years to a private contractor. This contractor will also provide a new school, refurbish the existing schools, and repair and maintain them for the lifetime of the contract.

A reluctant Labour Group belatedly endorsed the go ahead for the project in September long after the planning for the scheme was well under way. Only a couple of councillors have enthusiastically endorsed the plan. These include Council Leader Toby Harris and erstwhile left-winger Narendra Makanji.

The project is already running into practical problems. It has emerged that the timetable has slipped so badly it will not be possible to complete and sign a contract in time for the new school to open. The Council seems incapable of learning from its past mistakes. Haringey's services are still suffering from the debt repayments on Alexandra Palace. The PFI project could see the Council sinking deeper into debt.

Both CLPs in Haringey have opposed the scheme, but with party accountability now turned on its head, it is being rumoured that Labour nominated school governors will be removed if they do not support the PFI project.

An active campaign to stop the project has been initiated by public service union UNISON. If the project proceeds many school support staff will be transferred to a private employer. Other Council employees are likely to be made redundant.

With help from Haringey Trades Council, Haringey Solidarity Group and other local activists a public campaign has been launched to stop the PFI project. Haringey Against Privatisation is now campaigning actively among parents and governors, as well as trades unionists. We know the project cannot proceed in its current form if school governing bodies refuse to agree to participate. Therefore the campaign is concentrating on explaining to governors and parents the pitfalls of PFI.

We were initially quite pessimistic of the possibilities of stopping the bid. However despite the huge bribe being offered of large investments in school refurbishment, we have been surprised to find how receptive people are to our arguments against PFI. A campaign of leafleting schools and lobbying governors has seen the campaign gain great momentum. A successful public meeting was held on 6th November. It was attended by nearly 100 people and heard speeches from every sector of the alliance we are trying to build. Melian Mansfield, a representative of Haringey Parent Teacher Association, Tony Brockman, Vice President of the NUT, Keith Sonnet, Head of Local Government for UNISON, Jenny Sutton, a local school governor, and Paul Foot spoke at the meeting.

We are now planning a public demonstration and a mass lobby of the next Council meeting, encouraged by our success so far. Support from LLB readers at both events would be much appreciated. The odds must still be in favour of the Council getting away with this major attack on public education but we increasingly sense the possibility of defeating the plan. Events in the next few months are likely to determine whether or not our campaign succeeds. So if you can, please come and support our campaign. You will make a difference.

Haringey demonstration against PFI, Saturday 5th December, 1.00pm, Ducketts Common, Turnpike Lane, N8.

Lobby Haringey Council, Monday 14th December, 6.30pm, Haringey Civic Centre, Wood Green.

Haringey Against Privatisation meets fortnightly and can contacted c/o Haringey UNISON on 0181-211 0558 or write to PO BOX 8446, N17 6NZ.

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