Figures obtained by the Southwark Liberal Democrats has revealed that the lowest ever number of primary school applications had been made in Southwark, with the number decreasing for 6 years in a row.
This news comes after the 8th primary school closed its doors in 3 years earlier this summer, due to falling pupil roll numbers. Charlotte Sharman, in St George’s Ward, and St Mary Magdalen, in Peckham, were both forced to close by the Labour council despite strong campaigns by local parents, teachers, and Liberal Democrat councillors.
The Southwark Liberal Democrats say that the Labour council’s failure to deliver enough affordable homes for families is behind the fall in children living in the borough. Research from Loughborough University showed that cost of a minimum standard of living for an family in inner-London was 50% higher than other cities in the UK.
In 2024, official GLA figures show that the council made a start on just a single council home, and in an interview with Southwark News, the Labour council leader admitted that their housebuilding commitment would not be met.
This also comes after a report from the New Economics Foundation revealed that 1 in 30 children in Southwark are living in temporary accommodation.
Commenting, Deputy Group Leader Cllr Rachel Bentley said:
“Labour’s failure to tackle the cost of housing across inner London is forcing families out of our borough. Southwark should be a place where families can afford to stay and put down roots, but instead schools are closing and our communities are being hollowed out. Unless Labour finally delivers the affordable homes we need, this crisis will only get worse.”
