Councillors outraged as school rejects scheme to tackle traffic chaos
SAFETY AND SAFEGUARDING CONCERNS PROMPT FURTHER DISCUSSION
DERBYSHIRE councillors were left outraged and perplexed that pupil drop-off zone plans aimed at preventing accidents and traffic chaos were rejected by a school.
Members of South Derbyshire District Council’s planning committee are determined to press ahead with the scheme, aimed at improving road safety and congestion around Granville Academy in Woodville.
The authority’s leader and the area’s representatives voiced their concerns and could not believe that the school would reject such a plan.
It had been put forward in plans from Bellway Homes to build 148 homes as part of the Broomy Farm development between Hartshorne and Woodville.
Chris Nash, a council planning officer, said the authority “can’t insist” the school accept the drop-off zone, which may risk leaving the new infrastructure “obsolete”.
He said the de Ferrers Trust, which oversees the academy, said it could not back the drop-off zone due to security and safeguarding concerns.
During a district council meeting this week, Alan Jones, a local resident, said that a pupil walking to the school had been struck by a passing vehicle within the past two weeks.
He said the school rejecting the drop-off zone plan was “highly regrettable” and that it would have provided a safer route for new and existing residents.
Cllr Stephen Taylor said he had only heard about plans to ditch the dropoff zone plan two weeks ago and that there had been no involvement from local representatives.
He said the issue around road safety was “very significant” and that he and county councillor Linda Chilton had written to Derbyshire County Council to raise concerns.
Cllr Taylor said he contacted the school’s head teacher and was told they had only been in post five days and “knew nothing” of the development. He said he and Cllr Chilton had found it difficult getting the academy trust to engage. Cllr Robert Pearson says the dropoff zone was a fundamental part of the original application in 2016 and was not an “aspiration”. He said officers had championed the impact it would have on congestion and the outline of the scheme was for 400 homes and drop-off zone.
Cllr Peter Watson said: “I’m sorry but we are just getting bogged down in bureaucracy about a serious safety issue. We have not sought a response from the police, who are responsible for highway safety or the county education authority.
“This is an absolute disgrace. The people responsible for getting children to and from school safety have not responded. This is inadequate. We are not looking after the children we should be caring about.”
Mr Nash said the police did respond and that this matter would not be for the education authority but for the school itself.
Cllr Taylor said: “It is completely unacceptable that the new head teacher has not had the opportunity to respond and we as a council should instigate that. I am, as a community representative, not satisfied.
“The trust has had little or no engagement with the community.”
He said the council and community need to find an alternative way forward if the school has rejected the plan and that residents would be shocked to find the scheme was not supported.
Cllr Amy Wheelton says: “As a parent, this isn’t sitting well with me, especially if something was to happen to a child.”
Cllr Lisa Brown, chairman of the committee, said many of the councillors are parents and put the safety of children first.
Cllr Martyn Ford, leader of the authority, said all pupils could be given a passcode to enter through the gate near the drop-off zone, which he claimed would be simple to enact and is common in larger workplaces.
He said another option, among many, would be to provide each pupil with a magnetic strip with which they would gain access or a turnstile system.
Councillors agreed they would like to hear from trustees at the school, not just its management team.
They voted to defer approving the detailed plans for the next phase of 148 homes until discussions about an alternative to the drop-off zone could be arranged, with claims the area is frequently gridlocked in the morning and afternoons.
Cllr Brown said she hoped the “important” and “essential” discussions are fast-tracked.
A spokesperson for the de Ferrers Trust said: “Granville Academy has a new principal who started on September 1.
“She has already opened dialogue with the district councillor for Woodville on the matter.
“The academy has valid concerns around site security and the safeguarding of its students but is willing to continue discussions on the matter with the relevant parties.”
This is inadequate. We are not looking after the children we should be caring about.
Councillor Peter Watson