ETZ CHAIM latest - Legal action issued against Barnet Council for ignoring elderly and disabled in drive to establish Free School

Press release from Mill Hill Action Group
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Today, Monday 17^th October, judicial review papers were issued against the London Borough of Barnet claiming that they ignored the elderly and disabled in order to grant planning permission to a Free School.  

The legal action alleges that when Barnet Council granted planning permission to permit a Free School to build in Mill Hill on Daws Lane, they ignored the essential use of the site by over 1,000 elderly and disabled individuals and groups. The Site had previously been a popular Garden Centre (and formerly a free farm and swimming pool) that specifically catered to disabled charities and Barnet Council’s own Adult Social Services Department.

Believed to be the first landmark legal action under the Equalities Act 2010, Daniel Coleman, a local Jewish disabled resident, intends to demonstrate that despite Government Ministers promoting the Free School policy, Councils can’t grant planning at any cost. Daniel’s barrister, Juan Lopez of FTB Chambers, has already received a concession by Barnet Council that they failed to consider the Equalities Act 2010 and they ignored the views of the elderly and disabled.

Daniel stated, “In the drive to push Free Schools, Barnet Council swept aside all other considerations and ignored the desperate pleas of thousands of local elderly and disabled. As one individual said to me, “Why is it that when I became old, I became invisible?” Legislation prevents the Council from ignoring their needs and I intend to win this site back for the community to whom it is such a vital lifeline.”