First the FOI and now for some facts

Oakhurst residents tell ORA that they want a school within Oakhurst not a school at the end of a convoluted trek over mixed terrain.  Adver columnist Rod Bluh, who coincidently is the leader of the Council and his cabinet, has been a long way from the front line of the North Swindon school places issue probably because he has been organising a much needed North Swindon school at Croft first. 

Well we know that local councillors have not lobbied for an additional school where it's needed in the North.  They have been too busy shunting North Swindon s.106 monies to build sports pitches at Croft.  What is this fascination that the North councillors have with Old Town?

Let us look at some of the facts that the local councillors are not rushing to tell the residents of Oakhurst:


43 of the 60 Children who go to Oakhurst live within 300 metres of the school.
4 of the 38 children who go to the 60 reception place Croft school live within 300 metres of the school.

12 of the 70 children who go to Lethbridge live within 300 metres of the school.

10 of the 90 children who go to Drove school live within 300 metres of the school.

Croft, Lethbridge and Drove are slap bang in the middle of residential areas.

Old Town and surrounding areas 9 schools (580 places in total) had 62 spare places in April 2012.

North Swindon's 8 schools (540 spaces) had none. 

Their fascination with building the wrong school, in the wrong place, at the wrong time only goes to show that they are playing the same game as their leader at Croft.  Interested parties in Old Town have not missed this and have sent across some interesting information.

SBC's own evidence shows that the Croft was funded by money requested for North (295 spaces) and Central (173 spaces) Swindon way back in 2009. No sooner had the Department for Education's £6,374,000 allocation landed in Swindon than it was assigned lock, stock and barrel to the Croft by Cabinet in December 2009.