This Guest Blog by Denise Cheong looks at issues about the exact status of the London Welsh School, the loss of trees in King Edward VII Park, and some key questions that remain tobe answered.
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This is the Monterey Cypress tree Brent Council's tree officer says has signs of canker disease and so will be felled along with 3 Irish Yew trees that he has also agreed can be cut down:
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Some questions that need to be answered:
1. Why are Brent Council so keen to locate the London Welsh School in King Edward VII Park?
2. What's in it for Brent? Do they perhaps owe the school a number of years lease on their Stonebridge site?
3. Why isn't Brent Council actively supporting the re-opening of a Bowls Club (and creation of a Community Hub) by local residents, when they are aware of the Fields in Trust protected status of King Eddie's Park?
4. Is King Edward VII Park's bowls pavilion really the only site in the whole of London for the London Welsh School to viably relocate to?
For the avoidance of doubt these screenshots and web link show the Registered Business and Fee Paying Status of the London Welsh School:
This web article on www.Wales.gov.uk titled:"Funding for Ysgol Gymraeg Llundain" further proves their actual status: LINK
"Ysgol Gymraeg Llundain is a fee paying independent school that has been set up to provide Welsh-medium education in London... there are currently 36 pupils on roll from reception to Year 6. The school has two classes and follows the Welsh Government’s Foundation Phase and National Curriculum...[The London Welsh School] traditionally derived its income from parental fees, fundraising, charitable donations and a grant from the Welsh Language Board. The Welsh Government grant will support the running costs of the school."The document titled "Landscaping Scheme Overview" submitted by the London Welsh School in planning application no 14/4208, states:
"It was agreed that the following species can be removed:
Monterey Cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa) to the north of the Norway Maple
3 Irish Yew trees in the south east corner (Taxus baccata 'Fastigiata”)"
This is the Monterey Cypress tree Brent Council's tree officer says has signs of canker disease and so will be felled along with 3 Irish Yew trees that he has also agreed can be cut down:
Some questions that need to be answered:
1. Why are Brent Council so keen to locate the London Welsh School in King Edward VII Park?
2. What's in it for Brent? Do they perhaps owe the school a number of years lease on their Stonebridge site?
3. Why isn't Brent Council actively supporting the re-opening of a Bowls Club (and creation of a Community Hub) by local residents, when they are aware of the Fields in Trust protected status of King Eddie's Park?
4. Is King Edward VII Park's bowls pavilion really the only site in the whole of London for the London Welsh School to viably relocate to?