Parents are furious over school sale to developer

11:11am Tuesday 14th August 2007

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Anger over the closure of Parsons Mead School in Ashtead has increased after the site was sold to a property developer for £16million.

The private school for girls was taken over by a neighbouring education trust, then unexpectedly shut last summer because of falling pupil rolls.

Parents accused the Vernon Educational Trust (VET) of deliberately running down Parsons Mead for the benefit of Danes Hill preparatory school in Oxshott.

Their protests grew louder this week as trustees, who were gifted the 109-year-old school with liabilities of £2.2million, announced the sale to Oracle Homes.

The Parsons Mead Action Group called for a change of the rules governing trusts to ensure greater public accountability.

Chairman Nick Drake told the Epsom Guardian: "The new charity can pocket a cool £13.8 million for doing what?

"Certainly not what they were apparently brought in to do - save the school.

"In the commercial world directors are responsible to shareholders, customers and strong regulatory bodies. In the twilight world of charities this does not seem to be the case."

Dave Seymour, a parent who is claiming compensation, was unsurprised the announcement came in August when many families are on holiday.

Under the Charities Act, which covers disposal of assets, VET was effectively obliged to sell the 12-acre site in Ottways Lane to the highest bidder.

The sale was assessed independently in line with Charity Commission regulations.

The trust will place some of the money in an open fund to provide financial aid to local families seeking independent education for their children.

VET secretary William House said: "We hope that, going forward, the trust will be able to assist deserving local children in receiving a quality of education that might otherwise be unavailable to them."

Oracle Homes still faces a fight to have plans approved. Political groups and Chris Grayling, the MP for Epsom and Ewell, have pledged to oppose any change to residential use.

What do you think? Write to the address on page two or email letters@epsomguardian.co.uk.