Parents threaten tax revolt over schools site

Parents campaigning for two new state schools are threatening to withhold taxes after ministers told them they must find £10million to buy the sites themselves.

In an astonishing letter, two ministers told parents in Brixton to use " creative approaches" to find the money.

The letter says there is "no question" of the Government providing funding if there is no suitable land available. Lambeth council has no money to purchase sites.

Parents now claim that the only way to come up with the cash is through tax revolt.

Spokeswoman for the group Devon Allison said: "If they say we must find the money ourselves, the only place we can think of looking is the money we pay in tax."

The Government gives up to ?20million to new schools, provided private sponsors put up ?2million, and a site exists. Lambeth has identified a site in Coldharbour Lane - but no private sponsor can be found. Parents have identified others, including a ?5 million site in Brixton Hill.

Schools minister David Miliband and local MP and planning minister Keith Hill have suggested parents should buy the land themselves. In a letter Mr Hill said they should "investigate various creative approaches to funding site acquisition". Earlier this month, Mr Miliband wrote, apparently approvingly, that the group was "looking for funding to purchase the site".