Town Hall protest by Islington teachers

AROUND 60 people lobbied the council last night in a protest against cuts in education.

They raised placards outside the Islington Town Hall, in Upper Street, as the council’s Labour leadership settled in for its executive meeting.

The protest was sparked by bitter disputes that have been rumbling on at two of the borough’s schools.

Speaking this morning, Ken Muller, assistant secretary of Islington NUT, which organised the action, said: “We were also protesting about the general public sector spending cuts taking place in Islington.

“We’re clearly concerned about any job and service cuts at the council. Our view is that we’re all in it together and any cuts faced by public sector workers are a concern to us as teachers.”

The majority of the protesters were teachers from Moreland Primary School, in Goswell Road, Finsbury, angered over the council’s plans to demolish the school. They were joined by staff from St Aloysius’ College, in Hornsey Lane, Archway, who are unhappy about their new �17million block, which they say has left them with a smaller school and fewer classrooms.

Mr Muller said the protesters were also angry at cuts to education posts at the council’s central services department, and said around 30 people have already been made redundant.