Controversial plans for school on Daventry town centre site ‘called in’ by opposition councillors

Two weeks ago it was revealed that the authority was set to agree to dispose of land it owns on Eastern Way to the Secretary of State for Education, so that a new 1,050 space secondary school could be built on the site.

The plans had been approved by the authority’s Strategy Group, but still required the consent of full council. But Labour and Lib Dem councillors have moved to ‘call in’ the proposals, which effectively suspends the decision in order to allow further discussion.

Plans to build a new school in the town have been delayed for years due to the struggle to find a site, but Labour leader Councillor Wendy Randall and Liberal Democrat leader Councillor Catherine Lomax have joined up to try and force the authority to look at the decision again.

They highlight a lack of adequate time to properly consult the public, the lack of an assessment on how it would affect existing schools, and a lack of detail on alternative uses for the site as the driving forces behind their decision.

The text of the call-in request states: “A decision has been made to hold a public consultation on the Strategy Group’s recommendations with a deadline of 5pm on July 21 for the submission of views. We believe that is quite inadequate.

“Given the potential impact of the decision for Daventry and its residents, we believe that a much longer period to allow not just consultation but deliberation is needed. The consultation will no doubt be advertised in the Daventry Express on Thursday 16th, but many don’t get their local paper on the day of publication and as a consequence some will only have a couple of days to respond, while others may not learn of the consultation until after the deadline for submissions.”

They also say that the Strategy Group discussion did ‘not include an assessment of how a new school would impact on the work and viability of existing schools’, and that reports ‘included information on existing schools which was out-of-date and inaccurate’.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Councillor Lomax said the scheme went against the Local Plan, and added: “Normally one would expect six weeks consultation, so the amount of time given here is inadequate.

“My first concern is the location, to concentrate schools in such a small location is daft. And it’s an important green space close to the town centre and would largely be denied to the local public.”

Tove Learning Trust has already successfully applied to establish the new secondary school, with the Eastern Way site – which is a short walk away from the district council’s civic offices – now the frontrunner. It would effectively neighbour Daventry Hill School.

The upcoming North East Daventry urban extension was also considered, but the council report said that LocatED, the Department for Education’s school sites company that has been brought in to assist the council in finding a site, had not been able to hold any ‘meaningful negotiations’ with the developers. Other sites ruled out included Daventry Sports Park on Western Avenue and Malabar Fields.

Councillors Randall and Lomax requested that the decision is taken back to the Strategy Group for further discussion, adding: “Decisions are required to provide ‘best value’. There was nothing in the paper considered by the Strategy Group which referred to alternative uses of the Eastern Way field, and the paper did not therefore justify why this particular use of the field would constitute best value for the town.”

Responding to the call-in, council leader Richard Auger said that the original discussion at Strategy Group had been a ‘very close’ debate. With a 5-5 split vote, it was his casting vote as chairman that allowed the proposals to progress. He added: “We will of course follow due process and the constitution.”

The matter had been due to go before full council on July 23, but will be looked at in further detail before being considered by the council's scrutiny and improvement committee at its meeting on September 22. The recommendations of the committee are then expected to be considered by full council on October 8.

Residents can submit their views before the July 21 by visiting the council's website here.