DOCSLIB.ORG

Feedback from Wokingham Without Ward Acting Deputy Returning Officer for Bracknell Forest Constituency As Deputy

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Feedback from Wokingham Without Ward Acting Deputy Returning Officer for Bracknell Forest Constituency As Deputy Feedback from Wokingham Without Ward Acting Deputy As Deputy (Acting) Returning Officer for the Bracknell Forest Parliamentary Constituency the polling places and polling stations Returning Officer for included in the review are only used by myself and my staff during the execution of UK Parliamentary elections. Bracknell Forest Constituency Since the conclusion of the last polling review undertaken in 2014 we have used these venues for the UK Parliamentary elections held in May 2015 and again in June 2017. On each occasion we have had no issues with any location and have been duly advised of any logistical considerations by the Returning Officer for Wokingham Borough and their staff and have no further comments to make. Eric Davies I have read the review documents and have no concerns about the access to the Oaklands School which is used for the Wokingham (Registered Elector) Without Ward, Borough, Police Commissioners, General and EEC elections, other than the parking for disabled people. The staffing has always been adequate and helpful to me as a VIP. As I live in Finchampstead Parish (Finch South) for Parish elections I seem to remember that on occasions I have voted at Finchampstead Memorial Hall without transport it would be impossible to physically vote there without transport. 3 Ward Members for For those unfamiliar with the ward, Wokingham Without is shaped like a rectangle placed on end, bounded to the west by Lower Wokingham Without Wokingham Road, to the north by the Wokingham – Bracknell railway line, to the east by Old Wokingham Road and to the south by the line of Devil’s Highway running about 100m north of, and roughly parallel to, Dukes Ride. The ward contains all of Wokingham Without Parish (polling district XWB with an electorate of about 5,500) and, since the boundary changes implemented in 2004, part of Finchampstead Parish (polling district FCB with an electorate of about 850) giving a total electorate of some 6,350. Nine Mile Ride crosses the ward almost exactly one third up the ward. The southern third is predominantly built up containing over 3100 of our 3250 houses or over 95% of our electorate. The northern and larger part is currently comparatively rural and has less than 5% of our electorate. We realise that it unusual for a ward the size of Wokingham Without to have only one polling station. However, from these figures it can be seen that the polling station should be south of Nine Mile Ride. Points that we have taken into account. Access. Polling stations should be convenient for the mass of population within the ward and within polling districts. In line with the Borough’s Transport Plan we should have polling stations in positions where it is possible for the maximum number of people to walk so reducing carbon emissions. It would be perverse if any change to the location of our polling station(s) were to increase car journeys. The location should be convenient for the majority of the population to encourage turnout. Turnout. When considering the location of polling stations, any change must be able to cope with an 80% turnout in elections or in a referendum. Road Safety. Any change to a polling station should result in nil detriment with regard to road safety. Therefore we are looking at parking, both on road and at the polling station, footpaths, street lighting, speed limits and traffic levels so that any change does not create additional risk. Change. Were we to change, we should try to do it once. Postal Votes. The number of electors choosing to vote by post has steadily increased and we had some 1,200 postal voters this year or more than 1 in 6. The increase in the number of postal voters has allowed the number of polling desks to be reduced from 4 to 3 in recent years. Alternative Locations. We continue to consider all alternative sites for polling stations within or near the ward but there are few possible sites. We have not asked about their availability for use. These are: Other Schools. Although they are not considered further (little point in closing another school) we have Hatch Ride Primary and St Sebastian’s CofE Primary within the ward. There are also the private schools of Ludgrove, Holme Grange and Our Lady’s. They all have halls of suitable size. Pinewood Hall. The Pinewood Hall is located on the northern edge of the Pinewood Centre with access off Old Wokingham Road (which is in Bracknell Forest) and lies about 350m north of Nine Mile Ride. There are precisely 5 houses within a 350m radius. There is ample parking although the Pinewood Centre gets particularly busy in evenings coinciding with our peak voting time so there could be parking problems then. Old Wokingham Road is a 40 mph zone at the Pinewood entrance. There is no street lighting on Old Wokingham Road and, in early May, dusk is just after 9pm. This stretch of Old Wokingham Road has become significantly busier following the opening of the Jennett’s Park link road and will get busier still with the housing in Buckler’s Park (the former TRL site). Electoral traffic turning right to go back into Crowthorne would be turning across the traffic. We consider that the Pinewood Hall is unsuitable because it is not central to any part of the ward, it is relatively remote compared to our present polling station with only 5 houses within 350m, a greater number of our electorate would have to drive there and from the road safety viewpoint there is a higher risk. The St Sebastian’s Hall. The St Sebastian’s Hall is located on the north side of Nine Mile Ride to the east of Honey Hill at the junction. There are about 20 parking spots in the car park. There is no street lighting along Nine Mile Ride to the east although there is lighting around the junctions with New Wokingham Road and Honey Hill. The entrance and exits to the hall are unsuited to election traffic with Nine Mile Ride being particularly busy in the mornings and early evenings. Although the hall is a potential location, parking is inadequate, road access is not ideal and it would increase the road safety risk. The location is also more remote from the epicentre of our electorate than Oaklands Junior School, The St Sebastian’s Sports Hall. The Sports Hall is a small hall at the north end of St Sebastian’s Close which lies to the north of Nine Mile Ride about 1000m west of New Wokingham Road. It has its own small car park but is remote from the bulk of our electorate and the access from Nine Mile Ride during morning and evening traffic is poor and would increase the road safety risk. And that is it. Which brings us back to Oaklands Junior School. The Oaklands Schools. The Oaklands Schools lie west of Butler Road to the north of the housing along Ellis Road. From south to north within the site are the Acorns Pre-School, the Infants School and then the Junior School with the school hall currently used as the polling station. There are 2 access routes: a pedestrian access from Ellis Road leading to the Pre-School and the Infant School and a vehicular and pedestrian access from Butler Road which is the sole access used on polling days. We realise the inconvenience to working parents of school closures used as a polling station. This problem is particularly acute in May when bank holidays conspire to give 4 day school weeks. We consider that the schools could do more to mitigate the effects of closures for elections such as having a training or Inset day to coincide with the election which only affects the Butler Road entrance and the Junior School. However we respect the view of the Head Teachers and Governors that safeguarding issues preclude this. In Conclusion. We consider that the continued use of Oaklands Junior School is necessary as the polling station for the Wokingham Without ward. The Future. We are aware that electorate growth in Wokingham Borough is likely to require a ward boundary review within the next 2 years which would be carried out by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England which is likely to recommend significant change in Borough ward boundaries. As a consequence of ward boundary changes polling districts and polling stations will then require review. Wokingham Without will be affected, not least by the planned build of some 1,850 homes in the northern part of the ward with a planning application for that expected in early 2019. We understand that a community centre will form part of the development which could then be the location for a polling station with the northern part of the current ward being designated a separate polling district. Parish Clerk I am writing to confirm that Wokingham Without Parish Council endorses the views of our three borough members (Borough Councillors Helliar-Smyons, Ross and Sleight) regarding the review of polling stations for the ward of Wokingham Without (attached). Whilst it is regrettable to be required to close a local school when an election is run, the current site, at Oaklands Junior School, still remains the best option we have at present, within the parish. Kristina Brownhill Having seen people (walking into the site) nearly hit as two cars try and squeeze up the single entry to Oaklands school, and being (Registered Elector) affected as a working parent Oaklands school is no longer fit for being used as a Polling Station.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Email Exchanges Between Wokingham Borough Council And
    From: Sent: 27 March 2020 11:36 To: [email protected] Subject: GE202003362 - ONR resposne to Wokingham Borough Council Local plan Update Follow Up Flag: Follow up Flag Status: Completed Dear Sir/Madam, In response to your emails dated 3 February and 18 March regarding the 2020 Wokingham Borough Local Plan Update consultation, please find below ONR’s response, which is provided in line with our Land Use Planning policy published here http://www.onr.org.uk/land-use-planning.htm. Since ONR responded to the previous draft Local Plan Update consultation on 21 January 2019 (see email below) the proposed development locations included in the draft local plan have significantly changed. Additionally, the Detailed Emergency Planning Zone (DEPZ) for the AWE Burghfield site has been re-determined by West Berkshire District Council under the Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations (REPPIR) 2019 resulting in a larger DEPZ. ONR’s current position remains that we would be likely to object to: • developments within the DEPZ, unless the West Berkshire District Council emergency planner provides adequate assurance to ONR that any adverse impact on the operability and viability of the off-site emergency plan could be mitigated. • large scale developments within the circular 5km Outer Consultation Zone (OCZ), which extends beyond the DEPZ from grid reference SU684680, unless the West Berkshire District Council emergency planner provides adequate assurance to ONR that any adverse impact on the operability and viability of the off-site emergency plan could be mitigated. ONR has previously responded regarding the two development locations below which are included in both the 2018/19 Local Plan Update consultation and the 2020 Local Plan Update consultation: 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Tree Watch Issue 39 November 2018
    Wokingham District Veteran Tree Association Tree Watch Issue 39 November 2018 On 20th November, we had 7,582 trees in our database and 10,902 photographs Welcome to the latest issue of Tree Watch. I hope you all had an enjoyable summer. The recent weather has not been particularly conducive to surveying, but these dark evenings mean we can make plans for our surveys in the spring. If you haven’t done any tree surveying yet, but think you might like to get involved please let us know. We would like to recruit some more people to help us complete our veteran tree survey. If you don’t want to survey, perhaps you have some ideas for new projects we could initiate. On page 10 Linda Martin tells us about a yew forest in Sussex. Nearer to us is the Ankerwycke yew. Join us in January to see this iconic tree and learn about it from Toby Hindson from the Ancient Yew Forum (see events details). In 2015, the National Trust planned to put a board walk around the tree to prevent root compaction. The photos here were taken five years ago and it will be interesting to see what the site looks like now. As I was putting the final touches to this issue, I listened to an episode of the BBC radio 4 programme “Open Country” about ash trees (20th November). See recommended websites on page 13 for the link if you’d like to listen to it (just ignore the bit about the invention of the wheel).
    [Show full text]
  • Wokingham District Council Election Results 1997-2012
    Wokingham District Council Election Results 1997-2012 Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher The Elections Centre Plymouth University The information contained in this report has been obtained from a number of sources. Election results from the immediate post-reorganisation period were painstakingly collected by Alan Willis largely, although not exclusively, from local newspaper reports. From the mid- 1980s onwards the results have been obtained from each local authority by the Elections Centre. The data are stored in a database designed by Lawrence Ware and maintained by Brian Cheal and others at Plymouth University. Despite our best efforts some information remains elusive whilst we accept that some errors are likely to remain. Notice of any mistakes should be sent to [email protected]. The results sequence can be kept up to date by purchasing copies of the annual Local Elections Handbook, details of which can be obtained by contacting the email address above. Front cover: the graph shows the distribution of percentage vote shares over the period covered by the results. The lines reflect the colours traditionally used by the three main parties. The grey line is the share obtained by Independent candidates while the purple line groups together the vote shares for all other parties. Rear cover: the top graph shows the percentage share of council seats for the main parties as well as those won by Independents and other parties. The lines take account of any by- election changes (but not those resulting from elected councillors switching party allegiance) as well as the transfers of seats during the main round of local election.
    [Show full text]
  • Highway Maintenance Management Plan
    HIGHWAY MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT PLAN VOLUME 1 INTRODUCTION & OVERVIEW Neighbourhood Services, Wokingham Borough Council, PO Box 153, Council Offices, Shute End, Wokingham, Berkshire. RG40 1WL Tel No. 0118 974 6000 Fax No. 0118 974 6313 September 2013 HIGHWAY MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT PLAN Volume 1: Introduction & Overview Volume 2: Highway Network Maintenance Volume 3: Highway Drainage Volume 4: Winter Service Volume 5: Severe Weather and other Emergencies Volume 6: Highway Structures Volume 7: Traffic & Transport (incl Traffic Management & Road Safety) Volume 8: Street Lighting and Illuminated Signs Volume 9: Other Miscellaneous Functions Including: Sweeping and Street Cleansing Weed Control Verges and Open Spaces Trees Grass Cutting Public Rights of Way Volume 10: Highway Development Control HIGHWAY MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT PLAN VOLUME 1 - INTRODUCTION & OVERVIEW CONTENTS SECTION PAGE 1. Executive Summary .......................................................................... 1 2. Introduction ....................................................................................... 1 3. Legal Frameworks ............................................................................ 3 4. Highway Network Inventory and Hierarchy .................................... 6 Network Inventories ............................................................................................... 6 Network Hierarchy ................................................................................................. 6 5. Reducing Mobility Handicaps .........................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Wokingham Borough News – Summer 2021
    Wokingham Borough NEWSYour magazine from Wokingham Borough Council Summer 2021 In this issue… How to get involved and have your say page 6 Mental health support available in the borough page 8 Great new places Our Vision to play in the and Priorities page 4 borough www.wokingham.gov.uk 2 Summer 2021 www.facebook.com/wokinghamboroughcouncil A happy, supportive educational environment Infant & Junior School Open Morning 12 October 2021 Reception Open Evening 6 October 2021 Register at: www.lvs.ascot.sch.uk/admissions/open-days *Open days adhere to government guidelines and the lockdown road map. www.twitter.com/WokinghamBC Summer 2021 3 Keeping in touch with us www.wokingham.gov.uk Welcome [email protected] We exist for no other reason (0118) 974 6000 than to serve you, our A happy, supportive residents. This is the guiding /wokinghamboroughcouncil principle of the council. /wokinghamboroughcouncil educational environment We are at the leading edge in many the key word in that is all. We will @WokinghamBC respects – the healthiest, the most not succeed in our aspiration if we prosperous borough and one of leave people behind. /WokinghamBC the most desirable places to live Infant & Junior School Open Morning with the least deprivation resulting Sound finances are fundamental to providing excellent services Sign up to our in the lowest level of government funding. We are not complacent. for all and to be able to celebrate Wokingham Borough 12 October 2021 We wish to be the best in all diversity and support. I am Connect newsletters respects providing the very bests delighted to assure all residents services for you and the best that our accounts are in good Reception Open Evening You can access Wokingham Borough support for those who need it.
    [Show full text]
  • Local Wildife Sites Wokingham - 2021
    LOCAL WILDIFE SITES WOKINGHAM - 2021 This list includes Local Wildlife Sites. Please contact TVERC for information on: • site location and boundary • area (ha) • designation date • last survey date • site description • notable and protected habitats and species recorded on site Site Code Site Name District Parish SU76B04 Highgrove Copse Wokingham BC Swallowfield SU76B05 St. Leger's Copse, Collin's Copse Wokingham BC Swallowfield SU76C04 Wood North of Beech Hill Wokingham BC Swallowfield Coverts/Clayhil SU76C05 Norman's Shaw Wokingham BC Swallowfield SU76C07 Wood and Ditch/Moat Wokingham BC Swallowfield SU76D02 Woods Between Whitehouse Wokingham BC Shinfield and Highlands SU76D04 Clare's Green Road Grasslands Wokingham BC Shinfield SU76E01 Great Lea Pond Wokingham BC Shinfield SU76G01 The Marshes, Riseley Wokingham BC Swallowfield SU76H01 Cuckoo Pen Wokingham BC Swallowfield SU76I06 The Grove Wokingham BC Shinfield SU76J01 Shinfield Park, Nore's Hill Wokingham BC Shinfield SU76J02 Pearmans Copse Wokingham BC Shinfield SU76L02 Wheeler's Copse.Featherstone Wokingham BC Swallowfield Copse SU76M01 Farley Hill Woods, Great Copse Wokingham BC Swallowfield and New Plantation SU76M03 Long Copse (South) and Robin Wokingham BC Arborfield and Hood Copse Newland SU76M04 Wyvol's Copse Wokingham BC Swallowfield SU76M06 Spring Copse and Long Copse Wokingham BC Arborfield and (North) Newland SU76N01 Moor Copse Wokingham BC Arborfield and Newland SU76N02 Pound Copse Wokingham BC Arborfield and Newland SU76N03 Rounds Copse Wokingham BC Arborfield and Newland
    [Show full text]
  • More Please! Page 20 All Go for New Page 3 ‘Fosters’ Page 24
    Wokingham Borough Winter 2014 NEWSYour magazine from Wokingham Borough Council See back page for Christmas waste and recycling collection calendar In this issue… Winter Wellbeing page 13 to 16 Gorse Ride comes together More please! page 20 All go for new page 3 ‘Fosters’ page 24 www.wokingham.gov.uk 2 Winter 2014 Keeping in touch with us [email protected] Welcome www.wokingham.gov.uk With Christmas almost (0118) 974 6000 upon us, we’re gearing 07786 200914 up once again for facebook.com/wokinghamboroughcouncil winter. @WokinghamBC On page 13 you can find out more The new roads are just one way of Visit us: about our campaign to encourage better connecting the Borough. As Monday to Friday between 8.30am and 5pm local people to become Winter well as investing in roads, we’ve also Write to us: Friends. When the cold weather made improvements to cycleways Wokingham Borough Council, Civic Offices, sets in, you can make a difference and public transport. Each of the Shute End, Wokingham RG40 1BN by looking in on a neighbour who is SDLs will be connected by networks, elderly or vulnerable. I have signed known as greenways, that would Find out more information by: up to the pledge and hope that allow car-free commuting as well as Email and text updates – register at: many of you will join me in pleasurable places to walk or ride. www.wokingham.gov.uk/online supporting others in the community whatever the elements may throw And, WBC sets one of the highest at us.
    [Show full text]
  • Wokingham Living List 2019
    LOCAL WILDIFE SITES IN WOKINGHAM - 2019 This list includes Local Widlife Sites. Please contact TVERC for information on: • site location and boundary • area (ha) • designation date • last survey date • site description • notable and protected habitats and species recorded on site Site Code Site Name District Parish SU86B02 Fishers Copse Bracknell Forest Borough Sandhurst and Council and Wok Finchampstead SU86J02 Pockets Copse Bracknell Forest Borough Binfield and Council and Wokingham BC St. Nicholas SU87F06 Swains Copse Wokingham BC and Bracknell St Nicholas Forest BC SU87C08 Grassland Opposite Blackthorn Farm Wokingham BC and Windsor Ruscombe and Maidenhead SU86J01 Big Wood Bracknell Forest Borough Binfield and Council and Wokingham BC Wokingham SU87D05 Windsor Ait Windsor and Maidenhead & Waltham St Lawrence Wokingham BC SU87E02 Bear Grove Lindenhill Wood Wokingham BC SU76U03 Bearwood Estate - Woods and Lakes Wokingham BC Arborfield and Newland SU78R02 Branfords Woodlands Wokingham BC Remenham SU76Y06 Brook Farm Meadow Wokingham BC Barkham SU78W05 Cannon Wood Wokingham BC Remenham SU78R03 Chalk Grassland Remenham Wokingham BC SU76D04 Clare’s Green Road Grasslands Wokingham BC Shinfield SU76R04 Claypits Copse Wokingham BC Finchampstead SU76H01 Cuckoo Pen Wokingham BC Swallowfield SU87E04 Cuttler’s Coppice Wokingham BC Wargrave SU76W06 East Court Woods Wokingham BC Finchampstead SU78V06 Fairman’s Wood/Little Fairman’s Wokingham BC Wargrave Wood SU86B01 Finchamstead Ridges Wokingham BC Finchampstead SU76W01 Fleet Copse Wokingham BC Finchampstead
    [Show full text]
  • FORWARD PROGRAMME REFERENCE: Error
    APPENDIX A Winter Service Plan 2014-2015 – COMMENTS & OBJECTIONS SUMMARY Letter/Email from Comment/Objection Officer Comment 1st consultation Arborfield Parish We are disappointed to see that our requests from last year have not been No additional salt bins will be installed this season Council included in this year’s plan. We really feel that anything which can be done to due to budget restraints. The Town Council can encourage parents to walk to the school should be paramount. Both a salt bin at purchase their own salt bins through WBC, which the meeting point for the walking bus and salting along the route are extremely they will need to maintain if they take this option. important and would ensure a safe route to school. Joyce Stonor Area I have requested a salt bins for: Manager Finchampstead Ward - Church Lane/Whitehorse Lane Finchampstead, No additional salt bins will be installed this season Evendons ward - One to be placed in Blagrove Lane, opposite Blagrove Drive due to budget restraints. The Town Council can to cover corners and top of Edneys hill purchase their own salt bins through WBC, which The other at the top of Oaklands Drive, so that the residents could keep the they will need to maintain if they take this option. Hill clear when snow/ice. Hatch Ride has moved to ‘third tier’ salting please move it back to ‘second Hatch Ride was on the Third Tier for the 2013/14 tier’ as it has been for the last couple of years. Service Plan and will remains so for this season Also don’t think I have seen the new schools entered on this plan for Additional schools, Evendons, The Charvil Piggott, footpath/road clearance, Winnersh, Woosehill, Evendons.
    [Show full text]
  • Medium Term Financial Plan App A.Xlsx
    APPENDIX A REVENUE BUDGET & STATUTORY RESOLUTION 2017/18 The Leader of the Council proposes the budget submission contained in the Medium Term Financial Plan and moves the following statutory resolution required to fix the Council Tax for each Band in each part of the Council’s area in accordance with the decision on the level of Council Tax. The Localism Act 2011 has made significant changes to the Local Government Finance Act 1992, and now requires the billing authority to calculate a Council Tax requirement for the year, not its budget requirement as previously. The Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group will make her budget speech and propose any amendments that she wishes to the budget proposals put forward by the Leader of the Council. 1. That it be noted that at its meeting on 26th January 2017 Special Council Executive calculated the following amounts for the year 2017/18 in accordance with regulations made under Section 31B of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended by the Localism Act 2011 and the Local Government Finance Act 2012:- (a) 67,433.40 being the amount calculated by the Council, (Item T) in accordance with regulation 31B of the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) Regulations 1992 (as amended by the Localism Act 2011 and the Local Government Finance Act 2012), as its council tax base for the year (b) Part of the Council's area. Arborfield and Newland 1,263.4 Barkham 1,526.9 Charvil 1,409.3 Earley 11,755.9 Finchampstead 5,725.0 Remenham 321.9 Ruscombe 501.5 St.
    [Show full text]
  • Wokingham Without Ward Profile
    Wokingham Borough Jan-18 Wokingham Without Berkshire Public Health Shared Team INTRODUCTION CONTENTS This is a profile of Wokingham Without Ward. It is intended to accompany the wider Joint Strategic Needs Assessment of Wokingham Borough. Profiles have been created for each of the Electoral Wards within Wokingham 1. SUMMARY……………….………...….…… 2 to 3 Borough. 2. DEMOGRAPHICS…………………........ 4 to 6 3. DEPRIVATION, POVERTY AND The profiles are split into nine topics with these being accompanied by a summary of key findings and supported by ACCESS TO SERVICES…………….…… 7 metadata (information about the data used within the profiles). 4. ECONOMY AND ENTERPRISE……… 8 5. EDUCATION……………………………….. 9 The profiles are a tool which will be regularly developed with both improved functionality and also new and refreshed 6. HEALTH……………………………………….10 to 11 indicator data. We welcome your comments and suggestions so that we can ensure future developments are 7. HOUSING……………………………………..12 relevant and useful to you. 8. COMMUNITY SAFETY………………….. 13 9. ENVIRONMENT…………………………… 14 The profiles are in the main based only on data that are collected nationally with a high degree of completeness. This has been supplemented with local data where this has been considered appropriate. 10. SOURCES OF DATA…………………………………………..……………… 15 Some indicators may give small numbers at Ward level. This should be taken into consideration when interpreting the data. Small changes in counts can lead to wide variance in the rate, and counts can vary significantly from year to year. Any provisional conclusions drawn from the profiles should be compared with other sources of information, both quantitative and qualitative. Berkshire Public Health Shared Team 1 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Primary and Secondary Schools Roll Projections
    Agenda Item 53 This report is to note. TITLE Primary and Secondary Schools Roll Projections FOR CONSIDERATION BY Schools Forum on 10 July 2019 WARD (All Wards); LEAD OFFICER Deputy Chief Executive - Graham Ebers, Director of Children's Services - Carol Cammiss OUTCOME / BENEFITS TO THE COMMUNITY That there are sufficient primary and secondary school places, that are sufficiently close to homes to promote sustainable travel to school. RECOMMENDATION That Forum notes the contents of the report. SUMMARY OF REPORT The projections indicate that there are sufficient primary school places to meet needs. However, the borough’s strategy for new homes, focused on a small number of large scale developments is expected to mean that there will be a mismatch between where children live and where schools are located. With the exception of the pressures seen in the Shinfield area (and possibly evidenced by the birth ”spike” in Woodley) there has been no immediate surge in demand in areas with rapid housing growth. In summary, to date the lower birth numbers per year after 2012 have been more important than the impact of migration related to the number of new homes built in the borough. At secondary level, the primary bulge is working its way into the secondary sector. However, although the projections indicate that demand will outstrip the available places, the growth may not be so great as to create a requirement for a large-scale expansion programme. The greatest pressure is likely to be seen in the north of the borough, where school expansion could be challenging given site restrictions.
    [Show full text]