The sooner West Sussex LEA comes clean and council taxpayers wise up to the hidden truth that the merger of the Three Bridges First and Middle schools is all part of a gigantic private finance initiative (PFI) property deal, the better for all concerned, especially the children and their education (Letters, June 1).

According to last April's Budget, government spending on privately-financed projects (introduced by the Tories and continued by Labour) is predicted to soar to £25 billion in the next three years.

West Sussex PFI projects for schools are very big business indeed, with "partners" (such as private developers and banks) often hammering out a highly profitable, notoriously secretive, deal which essentially says to an often naive LEA: "We will not play this PFI game unless you free up (taxpayers') land."

That means school playing fields and other "family silver".

The massive educational disruption suffered by the children is of little consequence to these grown-ups - they are just in it for the money.

PFI's all-pervasiveness in state education is exemplified by this month's resignation of David Monger, deputy director of education at County Hall, to join W S Atkins, which has established a joint venture with Innisfree to design, build, finance and operate schools in the local authority sector within the PFI and Public Private Partnerships.

The resignation and new appointment of this public servant leaves him and the LEA itself very open to criticism.

It also raises some very serious questions indeed, which we must ask very quickly for the sake of the children.

-Richard W Symonds, SCRAM (Campaign for Hot School Meals and Playing Fields), Lavington Close, Ifield