Agenda item

To receive a report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development which relates to a public request for Scrutiny from the Friends of Gledhow Field.

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report which presented a request for scrutiny received from Paul Sellars, representing Friends of Gledhow Field.

The following information was appended to the report:

-  A copy of the request for scrutiny, including the reasons for the request

-  A copy of the letter issued to parents and carers by Dr Willott, Chair of Governors at Gledhow Primary School, regarding the use of Gledhow Field in the expansion of Gledhow Primary School.

The following were in attendance and responded to Members’ questions and comments:

-  Paul Sellars, Chair, Friends of Gledhow Field

-  Stephanie Crossland, Friends of Gledhow Field

-  Councillor Lucinda Yeadon, Executive Member (Children and Families)

-  Councillor Jane Dowson, Deputy Executive Member (Children and Families)

-  Nigel Richardson, Director of Children’s Services

-  Paul Brennan, Deputy Director of Children’s Services (Learning)

-  Viv Buckland, Head of Service (Learning Outcomes), Children’s Services

-  Jane Walne, Principal Regeneration Officer, City Development

-  Nigel Wilson, Built Environment Programme Manager, City Development

-  Sarah Blenkin, Team Leader (Commercial Property), Legal Services.

Paul Sellars presented the request for scrutiny and made the following key points:

·  The field had not been used by the school in approximately 20 years.

·  The field served as a focal point for the local community.

·  There were concerns about the consultation process, particularly that not everyone was aware about the proposal to ‘fence in’ the field.

·  A survey had been undertaken by Friends of Gledhow Field which supported the field remaining open to the public.  In addition, a petition against the proposal had been signed by nearly 450 people.

In response, Viv Buckland, Head of Service (Learning Outcomes) reported on the public consultation process, which included meetings with governors, staff, children, residents and parents.  In addition, drop in sessions had taken place for parents and residents to find out more about the proposals.  These were advertised via a leaflet drop in the area, banners on the school fence, LCC website and Wordpress.  Parents also received a letter about the proposals.

Ward Councillor Bill Urry added that the land had been part of the school grounds since 1945 and had been maintained by the school.  The area had to find 90 more school places including 30 places at Gledhow School.

The Chair then invited questions and comments and the main areas of discussion were:

·  The ownership and maintenance of the land.

·  Future access to local community groups under the lettings policy.

·  The school moving from 2 to 3 form entry in 2015, resulting in the need for additional space and for the school to expand into land in their ownership.

·  Other locally available green and amenity space, e.g. Gledhow woods and Chapel Allerton park.

·  Concern about information presented on the Friends of Gledhow Field website and that not all of the signatories on the petition were from the local area.  The Board was advised by Paul Sellars that at least 127 signatories were from the local area.

·  Evidence of anti-social behaviour and dog fouling on the field and the need to safeguard children.

·  The consultation process regarding school expansion and the fencing in of the field.

·  The need to work more effectively with local organisations and groups when undertaking school expansion.

RESOLVED – The Board considered all information and resolved that no further scrutiny of the matter would be undertaken.