Agenda and minutes

It was confirmed that the meeting would take place in public.

PROPOSED EXPANSION OF WHITEHALL INFANT & JUNIOR SCHOOLS, COWLEY ROAD, UXBRIDGE

Councillors Routledge, Gilham, George Cooper, Judith Cooper and Paul Harmsworth attended the meeting as Ward Councillors.

Concerns and suggestions raised by the first petitioner at the meeting included the following:

·        Possible expansion had been discussed since December 2008 and continued through to 2009.

• Alternative options had been looked at since 2009 but little had been done in the interim.
• Whitehall School was a confined site and it was not felt that a 4^th form of entry could be accommodated.
• The Cabinet Member had visited the site and had seen the problems that both schools encountered on a daily basis.
• It had been stated several times that there had been a temporary 4^th  form of entry in 1996, although this was designated as a 4^th form of entry it never operated as such.
• There had never been a year group with a greater number of pupils than 100.
• A large number of children at the schools already travel long distances with 44% travelling more than ½ a mile, 27% more than a mile with 4 or 5 other schools passed on route.
• Whitehall School was proud of its community.
• There was an imbalance on forms of entry in schools within primary planning area 6.
• There were concerns that the quality of education that the school provided would go down if the school was expanded.
• The reduction in the play space was not felt to be satisfactory.
• It was not clear what alternatives had been considered in relation to the following:-

·        Expansion of Hermitage and St Mary’s

·        Primary School at Uxbridge High

·        Building of a school on Hillingdon House Farm as this would be at neutral cost.

·        Bringing forward the building of a school on RAF Uxbridge.

·        It was not true that the Local Authority had worked closely with the school. 

·        Plans had not been shown to the school prior to them being submitted to the planning department and were a fait accompli when presented to the Head Teachers.

·        A 2 storey building had been proposed by the school to reduce the footprint of the building but this had not been taken forward.

·        Assurances had been given that the boundary for the Children’s Centre would be moved as too much of the playing field had been taken up.

·        The Schools do not currently share play space.

·        Traffic problems currently exist in the area if site extended this would exacerbate the situation in the surrounding residential area.

·        Could the slip road and green at the front of the school be included in the school site?

·        The ethos of the school with every child being known made the school a happy place and may affect their development.

·        A letter sent to officers in March 2010 had not yet been replied to, can the Cabinet Member ask officers to respond.

·        There were insufficient toilet and kitchen facilities in the schools and the DFE regulated the number required.

·        Not convinced that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.