Southend Central Area Action Plan

The provision of primary school places is a major challenge for us in the central area of Southend. I did a report to Cabinet in November 2009 outlining this, and will be doing another report in autumn 2010 outlining the difficulties in providing for the rapid increase in birth rate -which will hit primary schools from 2013. We are already full in the central part of Southend for September 2010 and we can only now offer places outside the centre. By 2013 we will not be able to offer any places.

The primary school sites in the central area eg Porters Grange, Barons court, Bournemouth park, Milton Hall and Westborough are all on tight sites with well below the minimum site area for the number of pupils. Finance permitting we would like to acquire more land, and certainly any additional residential units in the central area will intensify pressure. For example Asset Management Dept has been investigating for us the possible acquisition of the garages behind barons Court School - although it is unlikely we will have the money to progress this.

In summary it would be useful in your document to highlight this pressure.