A Preston councillor has called for more co-operation between different levels of local government to ensure that funding is provided for extra school places when new housing is built.Sue Whittam – who sits on both Lancashire County Council and Preston City Council – told a recent cabinet meeting at County Hall that it was “disappointing” when the district authorities that determine planning applications do not secure the financial contributions sought by Lancashire education bosses.
The county council, as the education authority, had requested that developer Wain Homes stump up £1.6m towards the creation of the additional high school classroom capacity that will be needed as a result of the new properties. After discussions between the city council and Wain Homes, the developer agreed to make some financial contribution as part of the planning process – and councillors on the planning committee were presented with a range of ways in which the money could be split between school places and the provision of affordable housing.A majority of them wanted to get the maximum number of affordable properties, leaving no money to generate extra secondary school capacity.
“What can be done…to ensure that developers, district councils and others are working with Lancashire County Council to provide these much needed school places?” the Preston Rural division representative asked.