Statement from Greg Mulholland MP - Leeds Girls' High School

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 8th Oct 2007

It is an absolute disgrace that Councillor Carter has cancelled this meeting at such short notice. To accuse the Leeds Girls High School Action Group, a group of local residents representing the local community, of political grandstanding is absolutely shameful.

The meeting with the school was actually suggested at the last public meeting in September. It was the community's idea, and the purpose was to engage in dialogue with the school to see if there was a possibility of working together to find a viable solution. It was always envisioned that representatives of the local community at both a council and parliamentary level would be in attendance, and the purpose of this meeting has not changed since its conception. For Councillor Carter to suggest that is has is both cynical and disingenuous.

Further, we would not have been in this position if Councillor Carter had shown leadership in the first place, ensuring that the community were consulted over the planning brief, which he fundamentally failed to do. It is time for dialogue with the community and the school, and this might be best done without the Council who so far have been more of a hindrance than a help.