A legal challenge has been launched against a Soho school after a Parent Governor was allegedly excluded from a key meeting where potential merger plans were discussed. Peter Couch, an elected Parent Governor at Soho Parish C of E Primary School, claims he was wrongly barred from an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) on June 1, 2026, when governors voted to continue discussions with All Souls School.
Background of the Dispute
Soho Parish, the last surviving school in the Westminster neighbourhood, faced financial difficulties due to falling pupil rolls, leading to draft plans to merge with All Souls and relocate to Fitzrovia. Leaked documents revealed that the proposal was driven by concerns about a budget shortfall of over £300,000 each year. However, the plans were halted after All Souls governors voted not to proceed, despite Soho Parish's decision to continue.
Mr. Couch's Legal Action
Mr. Couch has requested a Judicial Review into the school's conduct, arguing that the governing body acted entirely outside its legal authority. His claim, seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), outlines three grounds:
- Unlawful Exclusion: Mr. Couch was allegedly forcibly ejected from the EGM, invalidating the resolutions passed. The claim states: "A school governing body has no statutory power to arbitrarily bar a sitting governor from participating in corporate governance to manipulate a constitutional vote."
- Predetermined Consultation: A planned public consultation, which did not proceed due to All Souls' decision, was allegedly predetermined. The claim argues that the school presented a "manufactured financial panic," conflating a manageable £21,000 operational deficit with an £877,000 historical legacy structure.
- Irrationality: Mr. Couch contends that Soho Parish voted through a "sweeping structural closure and amalgamation plan" without securing a legally binding agreement with All Souls, whose board later voted against the merger.
Statements from Mr. Couch
Mr. Couch told the LDRS: "I pursued this High Court Judicial Review because I believe the Governing Body of Soho Parish CE Primary School acted entirely outside their legal authority on June 1 2026. They forcibly kicked me out - an elected Parent Governor - from a vital meeting to shut down debate and rushed a vote to launch a consultation to close our school based on questionable data." He added that the process behind the proposed amalgamation "was a sham from the start," with evidence that the outcome was predetermined before the public consultation opened.
Next Steps
Mr. Justice Mould has set a timeline requiring Soho Parish to respond to an application for interim relief by 4pm on June 15. Mr. Couch has applied for an urgent court injunction to prevent further unlawful steps while the High Court reviews the governing body's conduct. Soho Parish declined to comment on the legal action.
