Agenda item

Question from Councillor Robin Stuchbury to Councillor Anita Cranmer (Cabinet Member for Education and Children’s Services)

“In 2014 Buckinghamshire County Council’s Education, Skills and Children’s Services Select Committee prepared a report for Cabinet on narrowing the gap in education recognising social disadvantaged pupils and the diversity of Buckinghamshire children within education.  In the 9 September, 2021, the report submitted to the Children’s and Education Select Committee did not provide a breakdown of information around diversity, such as on individual social groups, vulnerable children and on all the attainment levels against their statistical cohorts within peer groups.  This information would have assisted the Select Committee to question in greater detail how children in Buckinghamshire are progressing in respect to the historic problem of narrowing education attainment gaps.

Can the Cabinet Member please explain why the new local authority is changing the level of information reported and is not recognising individual social groups, their diversity, and all their attainment levels against their statistical cohorts within a peer group?”

Question from Councillor Stuart Wilson to Councillor Gareth Williams (Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Planning and Regeneration) and Councillor Steve Broadbent (Cabinet Member for Transport)

“Following their respective recent visits to The Wooburns, Bourne End & Hedsor, I would like to request that the Cabinet Members for Planning & Regeneration and Transport acknowledge the urgent need for a coherent Transport Strategy for the area, and given the current and future planning applications for Slate Meadow and Hollands Farm commit to immediately convening a WBEH Transport and Planning Strategy Group comprising Senior Officers, local Members, Parish Council/Meeting and local resident groups, underpinned by an accelerated Transport Evaluation submitted for approval through the South-West Chilterns Community Board.  And also to commit to take all available measures to protect the community green space at Penny’s Corner in Bourne End, including the Peace Garden and Parish Council Centenary Clock, from any developer-led or Council-led transport mitigation plans and specifically to allow the Parish Council, should they wish to do so, to purchase the remaining land at Penny’s Corner not under its ownership, remove it from the designation as Highway land, and preserve and maintain it for the community?”  

Question from Councillor Robin Stuchbury to Councillor Anita Cranmer, Cabinet Member for Education and Children’s Services

“In 2014 Buckinghamshire County Council’s Education, Skills and Children’s Services Select Committee prepared a report for Cabinet on narrowing the gap in education recognising social disadvantaged pupils and the diversity of Buckinghamshire children within education.  In the 9 September, 2021, the report submitted to the Children’s and Education Select Committee did not provide a breakdown of information around diversity, such as on individual social groups, vulnerable children and on all the attainment levels against their statistical cohorts within peer groups.  This information would have assisted the Select Committee to question in greater detail how children in Buckinghamshire are progressing in respect to the historic problem of narrowing education attainment gaps.

Can the Cabinet Member please explain why the new local authority is changing the level of information reported and is not recognising individual social groups, their diversity, and all their attainment levels against their statistical cohorts within a peer group?”

RESPONSE from Councillor Cranmer, Cabinet Member for Education and Children’s Services

“Whilst I acknowledge that the format and content of the Education Standards has been refined since 2014, the local authority continues to track and monitor attainment levels by a number of different cohorts, including those you reference in your question. Improving the education outcomes for all pupils in Buckinghamshire and closing the gap between those that achieve the most and those that do not remains a priority for the service. This includes ensuring the early identification and assessment of vulnerable children and young people, so that every child makes good progress, and no child gets left behind. The senior officers have prepared detailed information that separates attainment for the cohorts that you have referred to. We will be sharing them with you and any other interested members in the very near future. “

Question from Councillor Stuart Wilson to Councillor Gareth Williams, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Planning and Regeneration, and Councillor Steve Broadbent, Cabinet Member for Transport

“Following their respective recent visits to The Wooburns, Bourne End & Hedsor, I would like to request that the Cabinet Members for Planning & Regeneration and Transport acknowledge the urgent need for a coherent Transport Strategy for the area, and given the current and future planning applications for Slate Meadow and Hollands Farm commit to immediately convening a WBEH Transport and Planning Strategy Group comprising Senior Officers, local Members, Parish Council/Meeting and local resident groups, underpinned by an accelerated Transport Evaluation submitted for approval through the South-West Chilterns Community Board.  And also to commit to take all available measures to protect the community green space at Penny’s Corner in Bourne End, including the Peace Garden and Parish Council Centenary Clock, from any developer-led or Council-led transport mitigation plans and specifically to allow the Parish Council, should they wish to do so, to purchase the remaining land at Penny’s Corner not under its ownership, remove it from the designation as Highway land, and preserve and maintain it for the community?”

RESPONSE from Councillors Williams and Broadbent

“I’d like to thank my fellow councillor for a very informative visit and I share his concerns for the potential impacts of the proposed development on travel in the area.  However, I do not consider that there is a need to develop a specific coherent transport strategy for the area as there is already a package of measures proposed to address the forecast impacts of the developments proposed in the Local Plan.

During the preparation of the Wycombe Local Plan the transport implications of the proposed sites was examined including an assessment of the cumulative impacts as well as potential transport measures for each site with proposals put forward seeking to mitigate the impacts of those developments. This identified a package of measures taking into account the proposed development at Slate Meadow and at Holland Farm. These include:

For Slate Meadow: a link to the proposed (and safeguarded) High Wycombe to Bourne End Greenway, – which is currently at feasibility stage.  In addition, the following have been secured through the planning process - upgraded bus shelters on the A4094 in close proximity to the Stratford Drive/Town Lane junction and traffic calming near the access to St Pauls C of E Combined School. It should be noted that Slate Meadow was granted outline planning permission in June 2019.

For Hollands Farm – a spine road through the site (to be delivered by the developer) plus junction capacity improvements as well as a possible diversion of a local bus service and enhancements to the footpath and cycle links to the village centre.  There is a current planning application for the larger portion of the Policy BE2 site, of which the aforementioned measures (and others) are being proposed by the developer and evaluated. 

All planning applications that are likely to have a significant transport impact are required to be accompanied by a transport assessment. Transport Assessments are thorough assessments of the transport implications of development, taking into consideration the cumulative impact of nearby development. This includes proposed mitigation measures, as appropriate. 

In relation to the junction of Cores End Road/Station Road/The Parade (Penny’s corner in Bourne End) the current planning application on Hollands includes a mitigation proposal to replace the existing mini-roundabout with a larger roundabout. This will require the relocation of the existing planting and centenary clock, which are within the public highway. Whilst the Highway Development Management team have confirmed the acceptability of the design and junction capacity, the overall acceptability of the proposed changes will be considered by the Planning Case Officer in reaching a final view on the planning application. It should be noted that the application has been called into planning committee.

I understand that due to concerns regarding the cumulative highway impacts of these proposals, the Highways Development Management have met with the local ward members and representatives of the Parish Council. A further meeting will be set up to discuss the technical highway position on the current Hollands Farm planning application, following submission of their consultee comments recommending refusal.”