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Case against school-place 'fraud' mum dropped

9:59am Friday 3rd July 2009 in


HARROW Council has dropped its case against a woman who claimed she was living at her mother's address to get her son a place in a popular school.

It was alleged that Mina Patel, of Streatfield Road, had claimed to be living in Willow Court, Fulbeck Way, for her son to get a place at Pinner Park First School in Melbourne Avenue.

Harrow was the first council ever to use the Fraud Act to prosecute a parent for lying on an application form, but that action has now been withdrawn.

The council claimed she had been living in Streatfield Road since 1994, and had falsely declared her home address.

Mrs Patel was offered a place for her son at Pinner Park, but she was challenged by council investigators about the alleged false declaration and the case was passed to the courts.

The school place was withdrawn when the allegation of fraud came to light, and Rhys Patel has been put into a private school.

Councillor David Ashton, leader of the council, said the case had been brought "with the greatest of reluctance after attempts to get Mrs Patel to expand on apparent irregularities on the school application form proved fruitless".

He pointed out that Mrs Patel declined four interview requests to discuss the form.

He said that while the council stands by the substance of its case, the legal advice was that technical arguments over the interpretation of the act could pose a threat to its success.

He added: "We have therefore decided that, rather than incur potentially costly legal fees over a Crown Court Case that might be undermined by legal argument, the interests of residents are better served by Harrow Council withdrawing this action.

"This case was never about persecuting mothers who wish to do the best for their children; it was about defending the integrity of the school system against those who might seek to flout it."

He said the council would consider bringing legal action against parents in the future as "a last resort".

In 2008 when Mrs Patel applied for the school place, Pinner Park received 411 aplications for 90 places, making it the most oversubscribed school in Harrow.

Comments(10)

SeaBee says...
10:19am Fri 3 Jul 09

So Mr Ashton has succeeded in making a laughing stock of Harrow by his ill advised attempt to prosecute Mrs Patel. Perhaps he can now tell us, the poor ratepayers, how much this farce has cost us and advise us as to the fate of whoever advised him that it was a good idea. Now, instead of whinging that there 'ort ta be a law aginst it' perhaps he would now ensure that his administration redouble their efforts to ensure that Government policy regarding parental choice is made possible.

A livid Tory taxpayer and voter.

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mafuks says...
11:32am Fri 3 Jul 09

Brilliant news for Mrs Patel all she was doing was trying to get the best for her child. Harrow should put its resources in improving the schools rather then pursuing parents the cost of court,solicitor and time wasted could have been put to more productive use!!

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jayjoe says...
12:08pm Fri 3 Jul 09

You'd have thought that Cllrs Ashton and Hall would have got their legal advice BEFORE launching this ill-advised prosecution. What a waste of our money. How silly the council looks now. Regardless of the "technicality" which meant a successful prosecution was unlikely, the fact remains that Mrs Patel *was* actually living at the address she gave when she completed the form. So there was never any prospect of this case succeeding. It was a nasty and mean attack on someone who had done nothing wrong.

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Richard_at_Harrow says...
12:21am Sat 4 Jul 09

Hey hayho Bojoe - I suppose its a bit like McNulty living in Hammersmith and pretending he also lives in Harrow with his parents in his 'constituency' home/office where he was also registered as a voter. It happens all the time doesn't it and is perfectly innocent. Dream on.

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voiceoftreason says...
8:58am Sun 5 Jul 09

Funny how everyone defends this woman and attacks the Council when, in fact, another HONEST parent lost out on a school place because of her actions. Alas, this HONEST parent gets no media attention. I hope the Council continues to prosecute all those that cheat the system.

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SeaBee says...
10:52am Sun 5 Jul 09

voiceofreason.

1) Parents don't lose out, children do.
2) It's a dishonest system, there is no promised parental choice. Instead we have school rationing by income. If you can afford to move into the catchment then your child goes to the chosen school.
3) The Council would be better advised to spend the money on education not waste it on a pointless Court case. They might also consider that the money that they were going to waste on the White Elephant, sorry new Civic Centre, should be spent on improving all of Harrow's schools instead
4)They can't prosecute anyone else, it isn't fraud. If not being wholly truthful in statements is a crime then the Courts will be full of politicians.

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Richard_at_Harrow says...
9:02pm Sun 5 Jul 09

To SeaBee - greetings. May I correct point 3? Money for Education comes directly from the Treasury and is passed directly to the schools. The Council has no say in the matter. In fact this council digs into its own pockets and puts additional millions into its schools. It doesn't have to but it does because it sees that as a priority. As for the new civic centre - the whole thrust of such re-organisations has been to leave the council with a lower admin overhead and modern more efficient offices. Just what the taxpayer ordered.

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SeaBee says...
8:42am Mon 6 Jul 09

I take your point re: funding Richard, Thank you.

However, the Council having dug into the taxpayers' pockets (Councils don't have pockets of their own)why aren't schools equally good? This is the only way that parents will be convinced that they do not have to play the system.

With regard to the new Civic Centre, where can I find the cost benefit analysis (and I mean analysis not assertion) on which the decision was made? How much smaller, in floor area terms, will the new CC be? How many fewer staff will be employed? etc.

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raviharrow says...
9:27am Tue 7 Jul 09

Richard
Any good accountant will tell you, renting floor space is more cost effective then going down the route of capital development.
Unless the council now feel they have expertise in real estate development.

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Richard_at_Harrow says...
12:57pm Wed 8 Jul 09

SeaBee - I agree entirely. They're our pockets at the end of the day - whether its the Treasury or the Council. Why aren't schools equally good? Well - why are people different? What will it cost to upgrade every school? You guess. As for the cost benefit analysis of the replacement CC - I don't have the figures - but I know how you can get them. Ask a question of the council at Public Questions - its an easy process. Start by e-mailing your councillor. From memory (and I may be wrong here - you need to check) - I think the whole process was supposed to be cost neutral involving the sale of land and/or downsizing. But this shows that debate without the correct information is not really valid. I'll make enquiries over the next 4 weeks.
Ravi - I'll leave it to you to take your suggestion to the council via your councillor. I couldn't tell you if they have considered sale and leasback.

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