Preston Park - Cabinet Decision

8.59.11am GMT Mon 15th Feb 2010

Egglescliffe School - The Campaign Goes On

Liberal Democrat Councillors and residents were dismayed to hear Stockton Council's cabinet agree to spend about £40,000 of Council Tax Payers' money on looking further at whether to rebuild Egglescliffe School in Preston Park.

Councillor Cunningham, Labour Cabinet member responsible, said "Nothing will be done to compromise Preston Park" All we can say is that he speaks a different version of English to us.

The cabinet agreed to spend money on 4 studies:

1. Rebuilding Egglescliffe for 1050 pupils plus 250 6th formers on its playing fields at Allen's West and expanding All Saints at Ingleby Barwick to 900 places.

2. Rebuilding Egglescliffe on its present school site and expanding All Saints at the sizes above.

3. Rebuild Egglescliffe for 900 pupils plus 250 6th formers on either site and expand All Saints to 1050 by buying some extra land for playing fields.

4. Rebuild Egglescliffe on Preston Park for 1050 +250 and expand All Saints to 900.

The Preston Park option will take all the Quarry Rd Allotments, all the overflow carpark and a large part of the field from their down to the river at the Quarry Wood side. It would also mean children from the south part of Eaglescliffe transferring to Conyers in Yarm to take up the places vacated by having Ingleby Barwick children attending the school in the park.

We'll carry on fighting

In the words of one resident "The council are custodians of the park". With your help we'll make sure that the park is still there for future generations to work, learn and play in.

If you've got comments on the school issue, let the Building Schools for the Future Team know: bsf@stockton.gov.uk

Or tell us and we'll pass them on.

Hundreds of people gave us contact details and we'll try to keep them up to date. We haven't got unlimited time so when you do hear from us by email please help by spreading the word.

We can't do this alone, but together we can win.