Six years too long for temporary classrooms, say councillors
Thursday, 8th April 2010.
A series of plans by Haverhill primary schools to use temporary classrooms to cope with more pupils when middle schools close has worried town councillors.
Coupals, Westfield and New Cangle Primary Schools each applied to St Edmundsbury Borough Council to station a temporary classroom on their sites.
In the case of Westfield, for which a new school is to be built on Chalkstone Way, the plan is only from 2010 to 2013, when the school will move.
But for the other two the application is for 2010 to 2016, which some Haverhill Town Councillors felt was too long.
The council's planning committee meeting this week decided to object to the plans, although only two councillors voted for that course of action while all the others abstained.
"I can't agree to that," Cllr Pat hanlon said. "It's far too long. Our children should be taught in proper accommodation."
There was no indication on either of the plans of any time when permanent new accommodation might be built.
The schools did, however, indicate that it was expected pupil numbers would fall back again by 2016 so that they could be accommodated in current buildings.
Councillors said they could not see how that could happen as the change in school organisation was permanent.
The council's objection would ask that the permission be temporary only to 2013 in the case of all three schools.
Coupals, Westfield and New Cangle Primary Schools each applied to St Edmundsbury Borough Council to station a temporary classroom on their sites.
In the case of Westfield, for which a new school is to be built on Chalkstone Way, the plan is only from 2010 to 2013, when the school will move.
But for the other two the application is for 2010 to 2016, which some Haverhill Town Councillors felt was too long.
The council's planning committee meeting this week decided to object to the plans, although only two councillors voted for that course of action while all the others abstained.
"I can't agree to that," Cllr Pat hanlon said. "It's far too long. Our children should be taught in proper accommodation."
There was no indication on either of the plans of any time when permanent new accommodation might be built.
The schools did, however, indicate that it was expected pupil numbers would fall back again by 2016 so that they could be accommodated in current buildings.
Councillors said they could not see how that could happen as the change in school organisation was permanent.
The council's objection would ask that the permission be temporary only to 2013 in the case of all three schools.
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