Public Speaking Time/Open Session
In accordance with Procedure Rules Nos.11 and 35 a period of 10 minutes is allocated for members of the public to address the meeting on any matter relating to the work of the body in question. Individual members of the public may speak for up to 5 minutes but the Chairman or person presiding will decide how the period of time allocated for public speaking will be apportioned where there are a number of speakers. Members of the public are not required to give notice to use this facility. However, as a matter of courtesy, a period of 24 hours’ notice is encouraged.
Members of the public wishing to ask a question at the meeting should provide at least three clear working days’ notice in writing and should include the question with that notice. This will enable an informed answer to be given.
Minutes:
Ian Norbury, of Dairy Farm, Church Lane (adjacent to the school) spoke in respect of the ongoing difficulties to the flow of traffic, access to his fields at the beginning and end of the school day, and the general adverse effect on his livelihood caused by the traffic and on street parking engendered by parents dropping-off and collecting their children from school.
The lack of car parking facilities for parents meant that cars often arrived up to an hour ahead of time. The speed limit on the road, its bends, and the large number of parked cars meant that driving conditions in that locality were hazardous and could only be made worse by the additional number of school places proposed. Farm contractors regularly had to either wait or time their work in order to be able to gain access to, or leave, the fields.
He did not believe the existing site was fit for purpose as the size of the site and its infrastructure could not support the number of places needed; this would only provide a short term solution and an alternative location suitable for the long term was needed.
Alistair Macleod, a Governor of the school, spoke of the efforts made by the school, and of the regular communications with parents, in an attempt to manage the situation. He undertook to relay back to the Governing Body the comments and discussions of the meeting.