Issue - meetings

RESOLVED: Cabinet;

1.     That Cabinet authorises the Assistant Director Assets and Environment to enter into an Agreement for Lease which would commit the Council to granting a 125-year lease for the construction, and ongoing use, of the site for new secondary school at Wantage Farm, Moulton, Northampton, as set out in the report.

REASONS:

1.     There is a significant need for secondary school places in northern Northampton. Meeting that need through expansion of existing schools is unlikely to provide sufficient suitable capacity. Therefore a new school is required. The Council has a statutory duty to ensure the provision of sufficient school places for pupils from its area. Page 278

2.     The Government via the Department for Education (DfE) and Education & Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) is willing to fund a new free secondary school which will meet that need. This would be operated by the NSB Trust, which operates the ‘Outstanding’ Northampton School for Boys.

3.     Consideration of options has identified land owned by the Council at Wantage Farm as the most credible site for the new school. No other viable or more suitable sites have been identified, despite examination.

4.     The DfE will only invest in the new school if it has secure title to the land, by way of an AfL which would, if planning permission is granted, result in the grant of a 125-year lease to the academy trust.

5.     The Council has consulted on the proposed disposal. The consultation has identified recognition of the need for a new school, alongside majority opposition to this site. The reasons given by respondents have been carefully considered and none were found that would justify not proceeding. In particular, many objections relate to matters more appropriately tested by the planning system.

6.     If the Council did not enter into the AfL it would still need to provide the school places. This would probably result in the same site being used, but at the Council’s cost. This is estimated at £25 million.

ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS: None

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST DECLARED AND DISPENSATIONS GRANTED: None

The Chairman invited Parish Councillor Yvonne Swallows to speak on item 16. Cllr Swallows made the following points:

• The committee was informed that Moulton parish council would be against the building of a new school on this site.
• There would be a substantial increase in traffic in the area, especially as the road chosen is a dead end. The A43 could also have an increase in the amount of traffic making roundabout access difficult, which would also make it more dangerous.
• The ‘good transport and safe walking routes’ idea would not work for this site.
• The school site chosen is next to woodland that could also be impacted.
• As an academy school with its own policies in place, the question as to whether the school could pick and choose who to admit was raised.
• The question of whether the council had looked into other sites was asked.
• The committee was reminded that Moulton already had a secondary school.

The Chair then invited Oliver Harris to speak on Item 16 on behalf of NSB as the Project Manager for the Trust.  Mr Harris made the following comments.

• The committee was informed that Northampton Schools for Boy’s is now a multi academy site.
• Proposals for other sites had been submitted, but it was noted that wherever the school is placed there would be an effect on the residents of that area.
• The need for transport adjustments was discussed as important.
• The committee was informed that NSB would attempt to mitigate impacts as far as possible.
• NSB has a good academic record, and it was felt that there would be no reason for the new school to not be the same.
• It was agreed that the support from the people of Moulton would be important.

At the Chairman’s invitation Councillor Baker presented the report, copies of which had been previously circulated. Councillor Baker made the following comments;

• A good case had been put forward and a good school had been chosen to lead this project.
• There had been several queries which were sent back to planning for responses.
• The committee and public were reminded that it was the job of the Council and of Councillor Baker to provide a secondary school.
• The Department of Education had completed a consultation with regards to the site.
• It was advised that as of September 2022 many extra spaces would be needed to accommodate students.

Councillor Larratt made the following comments.

• Meetings had taken place with local members, during which traffic implications had been discussed.
• It was agreed that it was important to keep traffic flowing in the area and try to avoid congestion.
• It was noted that access to the site would need to be looked at.
• There were concerns about young people crossing the A43 in order to get into the school grounds, as such the correct crossing facilities would have to be implemented.

Stuart Timmiss noted that the site analysis had been one step in the programme, with the lease subject to planning and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 33