Maidenhead & Windsor

The Windsor and Maidenhead Royal Borough’s proposal to build a brand new school for children with disabilities is now out for widespread consultation, giving everyone across the community the opportunity to have their say.

The Windsor and Maidenhead council has government backing of £23.6 million to transfer the existing Holyport Manor Special School to a new, purpose-built school on a site off Cannon Lane at Cox Green. However, before any final decision is taken there is a legal requirement to hold a public consultation to ensure that everyone involved with, or has an interest in, the school can express their views.

Cllr Eileen Quick, lead member for Windsor and Maidenhead children’s services, said the consultation was an open and genuine attempt to get comments and views from everyone with an interest in the education of children with special needs.

She said: “The council’s recently-elected administration is totally committed to achieving the very best for our children and young people – but to do this we must have input from the Holyport Manor school community as well as our partner organisations, the voluntary sector and from the local communities of Bray and Cox Green.

“The government grant is a great opportunity for the Royal Borough to provide top quality special school facilities and we want to make sure we get it right.

The Department for Education and Skills (DfES) grant, announced in March this year, is from the Building Schools for the Future: One School Pathfinder initiative. It follows a council submission to build the new special school as a centre of excellence on the same education campus as Cox Green Secondary and Lowbrook Primary schools. The new school would have its own access, yet be part of the existing education community.

An informal consultation was held by Windsor and Maidenhead council late last year and the outcome reported to cabinet in February.

Now the proposal has reached the formal consultation stage – as required by law – with public notices to appear in the local press at the end of this week. Responses should be sent in writing to the Corporate Director of Learning and Care, Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, Town Hall, St Ives Road, Maidenhead, SL6 1RF by no later than Friday July 27 2007.
Copies of the detailed proposal can be obtained by calling 01628 796572 or by e-mailing holyportmanorconsultation@rbwm.gov.uk. The proposal can also be viewed on the council’s website at www.rbwm.gov.uk/web/consultation_current.htm.

The Royal Borough will consider the outcome of the consultation and, within two months of the end of the consultation period, will take a decision on whether or not to proceed with the proposal.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead