School place consultation postponed (From Swindon Advertiser)

School place consultation postponed

5:54pm Friday 9th November 2012 in News By Josh Layton

A CONSULTATION on school places in north Swindon has been postponed after an error in a report.

The consultation events were scheduled to take place on Monday at the Tawny Owl pub and Tuesday at Orchid Vale School.

The July 2012 Cabinet report about the need for primary school places in north Swindon stated that the land proposed for a new school was not within the boundary of Mouldon Hill Country Park.

However further research showed the land to be within the park albeit at the periphery and in an area not often frequented by members of the public.

Cabinet took a decision to approve consultation but there was inaccurate information included in the report. The council has now postponed the consultation in the light of this new information.

Officers will work on further options and take the proposals back to the cabinet in December, so that they can re-start the consultation on options as soon as possible thereafter.

The council apologised for the inconvenience and difficulties caused by the need to postpone the consultation.

The need for primary school places in North Swindon remains a priority and officers will work to ensure the council can deliver the required number of places by September 2014, a spokesman said.