Gove under pressure on playing field sales

EDUCATION Secretary Michael Gove is coming under pressure to explain why he overruled independent advice to force through the sale of school playing fields.

According to reports, the Education Secretary, the final arbiter on playing field sales, has defied advice more times than Labour Ministers did between 2001 and 2010.

Among the decisions taken by Mr Gove in which advice was ignored, was over the sale of fields at Ingleton Middle School in North Yorkshire. The school closed in July.

In contrast Labour had rejected advice on four occasions.

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Mr Gove’s department was forced to apologise yesterday after it emerged coalition Ministers had approved of the sales of 31 playing fields – more than the 21 which had been previously admitted.

The department blamed officials for providing the Education Secretary with incorrect information earlier this month.

Shadow Education Secretary Stephen Twigg said: “The fact that Michael Gove has ignored the advice of independent experts and ploughed ahead with selling off school playing fields shows he is shamefully out of touch. He also appears to have failed to disclose at least another 10 school playing field sell-offs when responding to a freedom of information request. This is misleading and incompetent, at the very least.

“Michael Gove must now come clean and explain what appears to be a secret programme to sell off school playing fields.”

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In London, where two of the overruled decisions were made, mayor Boris Johnson said outdoor space in the capital was at a premium and playing fields needed protection.

Speaking from the Sea Life London Aquarium, he added: “Many schools don’t have enough, many parts of inner London simply don’t have enough playing space, and it’s vital that we conserve what we have.”

A Department for Education spokesman said: “We are sorry to say that the Secretary of State was provided with incorrect information about how many playing fields were disposed of since May 2010.

“The figures presented to the Secretary of State, and published by the department, related to applications received between May 2010 and June 2012. Those figures should have included requests received by the previous government and then approved by the coalition.”