Witham’s Essex County Councillors slam Labour Government for halting the building of new school
Cllrs Ross Playle and Derrick Louis have slammed the Labour Government for halting the building of a new primary school in Witham, with the Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson MP questioning whether it is required. The Lodge Farm School was set to cater for up to 420 children aged two to 11 as part of the new Redrow Mulberries development in Witham with additional nursery places.
Late in 2024, Labour’s Education Secretary ordered a review of the mainstream free schools programme announced by the previous Conservative government. Ms Philipson has questioned whether they meet a need in their area and offer value for money, including the proposed Lodge Farm School in Witham.
In response, Essex County Council has provided the Department for Education (DfE) with the local authority’s forecasts, as well as housing data, evidencing the need for a new primary school in Witham to ensure sufficiency of local school places, and to provide infrastructure as part of permitted housing development.
Essex is continuing to provide the DfE with any evidence they require to demonstrate the need for the new education facility in the town. However, Witham’s County Councillors are clear that the building of the new school must go ahead and without further delay.
Commenting, Witham Southern Cllr Derrick Louis said:
“Many of my newest residents in Witham brought their homes under the proviso that a brand-new school was opening on the Mulberries development and their children would be able to attend Lodge Farm Primary School in the not-too-distant future.
“This intervention by the Labour Government, questioning the need for a new primary school in Witham, now puts this all at risk and is an insult to the hard work of Essex County Council and local educational leaders to meet the needs of local children.
“Residents understand the need for building more homes, but this must come with the necessary community infrastructure and public services to support growing communities.”
Witham Northern Cllr Ross Playle added:
“Essex County Council closely monitors the need for new school places. Witham is crying out for more primary school places and locally we have a strong plan to meet that growing demand.
“However, the Labour Government have thrown a spanner in the works and put this in jeopardy. The Education Secretary must resume the plans without delay and ensure that future educational opportunities in Witham are not at risk.”
