As a result of attaining over 200 signatures, Cranleigh Civic Society was able to present its case to Surrey County Council’s (SCC) meeting lead by Cabinet Member for all age learning Cllr Julie Iles (see here )on 9thJune 2020 – to renovate and rebuild Cranleigh Primary School on its present site, rather than sell the land for housing and rebuild the school on fields to the west of the Social Club behind the houses on the Common.
The Cabinet Office presented its case for the current proposal to relocate to the Glebelands playing fields.
However, in recognition of the arguments relating to the restricted access, non-availability of parking, building size and design, location and safety issues from representations by stakeholders, local councillors, residents and representatives of the Diocese and the governing body and the headteacher, it was evident that many local people were opposed to this new build project, much preferring that the school remains on its current site with refurbishment/extension.
Cllr Julie Iles therefore proposed that Surrey County Council write to the Dept. of Education asking if the identified Priority School Building Programme 2 (PSBP2) funding can be allocated to a refurbishment on the Junior School site, something that the local MP, Angela Richardson will be taking a keen interest in.
When this outcome is known, Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Office can review further and point that consequently any indication of when essential repairs or refurbishment/extension might be carried out to the existing buildings can not be given yet.
A recording of the full meeting can be heard on the Surrey County Council webcast here surreycc.public-i.tv item “Cabinet Member for All-Age Learning Decisions Tuesday 9th June” n.b. there was another item on the agenda – go to petition in video.
We feel that this is a very positive move forward for the Cranleigh Community and would like to thank all those who have contributed to this outcome. However this is just the initial step in getting to the community’s preferred outcome and we must maintain both dialogue with and pressure on SCC to see this through.
Contact the Cranleigh Society at: www.cranleighsociety.org
