Andrew Dismore

At today’s (Wednesday) Mayor’s Question Time at City Hall, Boris Johnson described residents who are objecting to Avanti Free School’s plans as being “Nimbys” and “people who disliked school children”.

Labour London Assembly Member for Barnet and Camden, Andrew Dismore AM was questioning Mayor Boris Johnson about the Government’s relaxation of planning rules which allow free schools to develop without having to get planning permission, which Mayor Johnson said he backed.

In response to Mr Dismore’s follow up specific questions about the proposed move of Avanti House Free School to Edgware on a temporary (the Fairway) and permanent (Broadfields) site, the Mayor said he had not read Mr Dismore’s letter to him raising the objections of thousands of local residents, who he then went on to dismiss as people who “disliked school children” and as “Nimbys”.

Andrew Dismore said:

““We now know exactly what Boris Johnson thinks about the people of Edgware and Mil Hill. He has again shown a complete lack of understanding of the problems his Government’s planning policies have created.  His obsession with free schools has been shown to be a chaotic experiment which provides no local places for local children, but only disruption, inconvenience and traffic jams for local residents, whose views and opinions he has casually tossed aside.

As well as insulting local residents he has yet to respond to a letter I sent to him in May suggesting an alternative site for Avanti House Free School. The Mayor could use his powers extensive land bank to help solve this local crisis, but has so far failed to do so.”