Special school top of wish-list for redundant sites
Thursday, 29th October 2009.
A special school is the top priority for one of the school sites which will become redundant when education in Haverhill moves to two-tier.
Members of Haverhill Town Council agreed to set up a working party to look at the school buildings in question, which Suffolk County Council have formally notified could become redundant.
Cllr Maureen Byrne told members at Tuesday night's meeting that it was vital to keep the special school high on the agenda during discussion about what is to happen to redundant school buildings.
"We need to get a decision on sp[ecial needs education in Haverhill," she said. "We must campaign vigorously to get something of that kind in the town or we will get the brush-off."
Members agreed to set up a working party to look at what would become available, and that it should include Cllr Pat Hanlon, who had particular knowledge through his own family experience.
Cllr Hanlon said it was clearly a sound idea from Suffolk Country Council's point of view as well, because they could save a lot of money currently spent on sending children ouit of county to the nearest appropriate school.
Other uses for redundant schools were also put forward in a report to the council, and will be looked at.
These include trying to bring together three different reviews of services in Haverhill to see if they might form the basis of a joint venture on a redundant school site - after-school and holiday provision for children and young people, daytime and weekend daycare provision for older people and community organisations currently under notice at the former council offices in Lower Downs Slade.
Also, the report suggested, other organisations might be looking for premises, such as the new Darzi clinic, which only has planning permission on its current site for three years.
Members decided an open meeting should be called to gather expressions of interest for a joint-use proposal for one of the sites.
Suffolk County Council have said the first priority for use of redundants schools will be fore educational purposes, then for community purposes.
Only when these ideas have been exhausted would the council consider selling the sites.
A council spokesman said: “The first option would be to consider the site for other education purposes, for example for the relocation of a primary school or special school or to provide accommodation for a secondary school while we complete Building Schools for the Future building projects.
"Alternatively, it may be possible to use the site for community education or youth activities. It is also possible that other county, district or borough services might be interested in a site to allow them to develop suitable and sustainable community facilities. Only after these options have been considered will we look to sell a site.”
“It is the county council’s duty to seek best value when disposing of any redundant sites. The income from the sale of any site would be used to offset the cost of expanding and/or refurbishing remaining schools.
"Members of the public would have the opportunity to comment on any plans for the future use of a site through the normal planning process.”
Members of Haverhill Town Council agreed to set up a working party to look at the school buildings in question, which Suffolk County Council have formally notified could become redundant.
Cllr Maureen Byrne told members at Tuesday night's meeting that it was vital to keep the special school high on the agenda during discussion about what is to happen to redundant school buildings.
"We need to get a decision on sp[ecial needs education in Haverhill," she said. "We must campaign vigorously to get something of that kind in the town or we will get the brush-off."
Members agreed to set up a working party to look at what would become available, and that it should include Cllr Pat Hanlon, who had particular knowledge through his own family experience.
Cllr Hanlon said it was clearly a sound idea from Suffolk Country Council's point of view as well, because they could save a lot of money currently spent on sending children ouit of county to the nearest appropriate school.
Other uses for redundant schools were also put forward in a report to the council, and will be looked at.
These include trying to bring together three different reviews of services in Haverhill to see if they might form the basis of a joint venture on a redundant school site - after-school and holiday provision for children and young people, daytime and weekend daycare provision for older people and community organisations currently under notice at the former council offices in Lower Downs Slade.
Also, the report suggested, other organisations might be looking for premises, such as the new Darzi clinic, which only has planning permission on its current site for three years.
Members decided an open meeting should be called to gather expressions of interest for a joint-use proposal for one of the sites.
Suffolk County Council have said the first priority for use of redundants schools will be fore educational purposes, then for community purposes.
Only when these ideas have been exhausted would the council consider selling the sites.
A council spokesman said: “The first option would be to consider the site for other education purposes, for example for the relocation of a primary school or special school or to provide accommodation for a secondary school while we complete Building Schools for the Future building projects.
"Alternatively, it may be possible to use the site for community education or youth activities. It is also possible that other county, district or borough services might be interested in a site to allow them to develop suitable and sustainable community facilities. Only after these options have been considered will we look to sell a site.”
“It is the county council’s duty to seek best value when disposing of any redundant sites. The income from the sale of any site would be used to offset the cost of expanding and/or refurbishing remaining schools.
"Members of the public would have the opportunity to comment on any plans for the future use of a site through the normal planning process.”
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