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Primary schools expansion to
be discussed
PROPOSALS to expand places at 2 primary
schools in Liverpool to deal with increasing demand are to be considered by
councillors.
An Education and Children Service's Select Committee meeting is being held on
Tuesday, 17 March 2015, to discuss:-
► Enlarging the capaCity of Dovedale Infant and Junior Schools in Church ward on
their existing sites by creating an additional form of entry (30 pupils).
► Increasing the reception intake at Christ the King Catholic Primary in
Wavertree from 45 to 60 pupils.
The plans; which are backed by the heads and governing bodies of the schools;
are part of an expansion programme to deal with a shortfall of up to 300
reception class places by September 2017 due to a growth in population and an
increase in the birth rate.
By 2019, the total primary school population in Liverpool is expected to have
risen by around 4,400 pupils.
The City Council has received £15.4 million of funding from the Government to
help address the issue and is bringing forward proposals for schools that meet
the Government's strict criteria for funding to expand by building new
classrooms on the existing sites.
Councillor Jane Corbett, Cabinet Member for Children's Services, said:-
"This is about making sure that parents and carers have a good chance of getting
their child into a nearby school of their choice.
What we are doing here is using the funding to take action now to tackle the
areas where we know there is the greatest demand to alleviate some of the
pressure.
The schools that we have identified meet the Government's very strict criteria
for this funding. We are committed to working with parents, carers, staff and
the local community to address any concerns over the proposals if they are
approved."
At Dovedale it is being proposed that the reception class is increased from 3 to
4 forms of entry starting in September 2015, enabling numbers to grow slowly
over the next 7 years.
Designs are being drawn up which will create more
playground space for pupils by removing mobile classrooms and creating an
additional outdoor area for reception pupils to improve their environment.
To
tackle concerns over increased traffic, options are being explored to provide
off road parking nearby for staff as well as introducing double yellow lines.
An
application to amalgamate the infant and junior schools is currently being
considered by the Office of the Schools Adjudicator.
At Christ the King, a second reception class would be introduced to grow numbers
slowly over the next 7 years. To mitigate the impact on the surrounding area, it
is proposed to introduce a 'walking bus' and provide more space for
cycles and cars.
Plans to expand St Anne's Catholic Primary and Smithdown Primary in Picton; St
Silas Church of England Primary in Princes Park and St Cleopas Church of England
Primary in Riverside have already been approved. Next
The Select Committee's recommendations will be considered by the Council's
Cabinet on Friday, 20 March 2015, when a final decision will be made. |
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Good progress on landlord
licensing applications
MORE than a quarter of private
landlords in Liverpool have so far signed up to the City's new compulsory
licensing scheme.
The mandatory initiative requires all landlords in the City to have a 5 year
licence for each of their rented properties as part of a major drive to improve
standards in the sector.
Liverpool is the 1st major City to introduce a City wide 'selective
licensing' scheme, and up to 50,000 properties owned by an estimated 5,000
landlords will be covered when it becomes a legal requirement from 1 April 2015.
The 1st part of the application process opened in late February 2015, and so far
1,341 landlords, who between them manage 5,870 properties have registered their
details.
Landlords need to complete the 1st part of the application process at:-
Liverpool.Gov.UK, before 1 April 2015, including
their contact details and the properties they intend to licence.
Liverpool City Council's Assistant Mayor and Cabinet member for housing,
Councillor Ann O'Byrne, said:- "We have been really careful to make the
application process as simple as possible and are extremely pleased with the
take up so far.
A wider publicity campaign is now getting underway to promote the scheme and
this will further heighten awareness and encourage landlords to register.
Liverpool has a growing number of privately rented properties and the sector is
vital in meeting the City's housing needs, so it is important that what is on
offer is of high quality.
This scheme is about giving tenants some expectation of their rights, and the
City Council the power to tackle breaches."
The City Council will determine that the proposed licence holder is a 'fit
and proper' person to manage their properties including having regard,
amongst other things, to any convictions for dishonesty, violence or drugs or
contraventions of housing or landlord/tenant laws.
Landlords will have to meet a variety of conditions around:- fire, electric and
gas safety; rectifying disrepair issues; tackling pest infestations; keeping the
exterior in a good state of repair and dealing with complaints about anti social
behaviour caused by tenants.
Landlord licensing has the backing of campaign groups including:- 'Shelter' and
'Generation Rent.'
Applications can be made at:-
Liverpool.Gov.UK.
Quick facts about the scheme:-
► The licence fee costs £400 per property and landlords with more than one
property will pay £350 for each additional home.
► Members of an accredited or co-regulation scheme approved by the council such
as CLASS will pay £200 per property to recognise that they are already a good
landlord.
► Landlords have to pay £100 per property at the second stage of registration at
the beginning of April 2015. They will then have until the end of the year to
pay the remaining balance.
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