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Schools spent £30k on parties as classrooms crumbled
Amar Singh and Tim Ross2 Jul 2009
A state school at the centre of an alleged corruption scandal spent up to £30,000 on "corporate hospitality" while promoting its multi-million-pound development plans.
Copland Community College in Wembley hosted at least six black-tie dinners at the House of Commons for councillors, MPs and other powerful figures.
The school's former chairman of governors also entertained the leader of Brent council on a trip to India.
While school managers dined with the wealthy and powerful, pupils were taught in temporary huts and classrooms crumbling through lack of investment. Basic criminal record checks on staff were also neglected, according to Ofsted.
Brent has launched an investigation into how the comprehensive funded the annual Commons dinners for up to 100 guests, at an estimated £50 per head. The Evening Standard has discovered:
The school invited sports stars to speak at their events, including Dame Kelly Holmes and Sir Geoff Hurst, who was paid for an after-dinner speech.
Among its well-wishers and visitors are four prime ministers, Nelson Mandela and a US president.
Councillors entertained by the school went to a planning meeting at which its development proposals were raised.
An inquiry is under way in Brent over claims that £1.6 million of unlawful bonuses were paid to Copland staff while its buildings fell into disrepair.
Last week Children's Secretary Ed Balls sacked the school's governing body. Documents seen by the Standard suggest Copland headteacher Sir Alan Davies has received at least £600,000 in bonuses and other rewards on top of his salary since 2004. He was suspended in May along with deputy Dr Richard Evans and school bursar Columbus Udokoro.
Copland has won approval from Brent for a £120 million development, including shops and 450 flats. But "Copland Village" has run into trouble: two deals with developers fell through and left the project £1 million in debt.
Sir Alan and Copland's former chairman of governors, Dr IP Patel, have a history of entertaining influential figures. Guests at the Commons dinners included Brent's director of education John Christie, now responsible for the inquiry into the school; at least six Brent councillors; the school's developers and Brent South MP Dawn Butler. After-dinner speakers such as World Cup winner Sir Geoff, who charges up to £10,000 an event, would tell stories of their careers. A spokeswoman for Dame Kelly said she never charged schools.
The last Commons event - the "New School Dinner" - was on 13 June last year. On 1 June, Sir Alan and Dr Patel had written to all Brent councillors urging them to back Copland's plan to open two city academies. The multi-faith schools would have been built on land owned by the Swaminarayan Hindu temple in Neasden. They wrote: "We are members of the community and not a business (profit-making organisation)... we would ensure best value for the community."
The idea was raised at a planning meeting on 3 June. Three councillors who would be at the dinner 10 days later - Bob Blackman; Kanta Mistry, an administrator at the school; and former council leader Ann John - were present.
Minutes show none declared an interest at the meeting. Ms Mistry said that as an employee of the school she was curious to see what happened at the meeting but did not contribute to the debate so had nothing to declare. Ms John also said she had nothing to declare because she did not speak in the debate.
Mr Blackman said he agreed with Sir Alan's proposed location for one of Copland's academies and remembered speaking during the discussion. But he stressed that Copland's academy plans were not under formal consideration at the meeting.
His attendance at Copland dinners was "not relevant" to the business being formally considered, which related to plans for another academy, he said.
All three councillors declared the Commons dinners in the council's register of gifts and hospitality and there is no suggestion of any wrongdoing. Copland's city academy proposals were not taken any further.
Evidence has emerged of how Copland was run more like a multinational than a comprehensive. Supporters included Tony Blair, Lady Thatcher, James Callaghan, Sir Edward Heath and Gerald Ford. On its walls are pictures of Sir Alan receiving a knighthood from the Queen.Dr Patel refused to comment. Sir Alan and Dr Evans were both not available for comment.
Reader views (3)
They all strike to me as do gooders and trendy wealthy loony lefties.
What would you expect from these type of people ?
- Joe, Swanley Kent, 02/07/2009 12:53
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The Headteacher and the governors of this school should be prosecuted in court. They should be made to pay back all the bonuses and monies they have spent on themselves that they should have spent on the Children of Brent. Brent Council has a lot to answer in the way they have allowed council tax money to be abused without any checks. These councillors have questions to answer as well.
- Maggie, London UK, 02/07/2009 12:03
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I would like to know who authorised all this money for events like this?
- Richard Edmunds, Rayleigh Essex, 02/07/2009 10:57
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