I WAS astonished to read about the attitude of the governors of BETH's Grammar school in your lead article last week "Blue is not the colour".

Their arrogance took my breath away.

How dare they suggest the cost of repainting the fences should come out of the educational budget.

The terms of the original planning consent were specific. If the governors of the school chose to flout those terms then they alone should be responsible for the cost of bringing the fences into compliance with the original terms of consent.

Quite simply, they have chosen to try and blackmail the local authority into accepting something the governors wanted despite the feelings and preferences of residents living near the school.

What sort of example does this behaviour give to youngsters in the school? Don't worry about the rules, just do what you want and others will have to like it or lump it.

Great. It's no wonder our schools are full of pupils who feel rules do not apply to them.

The local authority is right to stick to their guns and if I were a parent of a youngster at the school, I would be absolutely appalled at the thought of the educational budget being wasted.

The governors must accept their responsibility.

Nicholas Jones

Penshurst Avenue

Blackfen

September 20, 2001 11:51