Plans for the former Wildernesse School site will be on display between 3:30PM and 9PM tomorrow (16 September) at the Donnington Manor Hotel in Dunton Green. I will be there at the opening of this exhibition.
This comes as we conclude a long period of uncertainty over the site. The Department for Education at one stage proposed taking the site from Kent County Council for the use of the Trinity Free School. KCC always made clear its opposition to this proposal, not least because it would undermine the proposals for a Sevenoaks grammar school satellite (post of 21 March). After lengthy negotiations between KCC and the Department, agreement has been reached that the Trinity Free School will take part of the site. The remainder of the site will be available for the proposed grammar school satellite, for which Valley Invicta Academies Trust and Weald of Kent Grammar School have both put in applications.
The plans shown tomorrow will show both the proposed allocation of different parts of the site, and various details of the proposed grammar school satellite buildings. This will be in advance of KCC submitting a planning application in October.
The decision as to whether or not to approve the proposals for the grammar school satellite rest with Education Secretary Michael Gove, and this is clearly an entirely separate decision from that regarding the site. However, it is clear that the issue of the site at least will not be a stumbling block to the grammar school satellite proposal. That is a very welcome development.
Further background is available in a KCC press release, and in an article in the Sevenoaks Chronicle.
Sunday 15 September 2013
Saturday 14 September 2013
Sentencing in Shoreham fly-tipping case
I reported some time ago (post of 22 March) that an alleged fly-tipper was due to be brought to court over offences committed in Bromley and Kent, the latter chiefly in parts of Shoreham Parish.
Mr Jason Newnham, owner of the waste business JJ Clearances, pleaded guilty to 13 fly-tipping offences at Bromley Magistrates Court on 24 July and was sentenced on 6 August to 240 hours of unpaid community work and to pay compensation and clean up costs of £6,030. Mr Newnham stated that the waste was tipped by his son without his knowledge, but prosecutors pointed out that, whatever the truth of this might or might not be, Mr Newnham was liable under law for his son's actions.
The District Judge told Mr Newnham that he was lucky to escape a custodial sentence, and that this was only because of the view taken by the previous bench. In ordering costs and compensation the Judge said that it should not be left up to the council tax payers of Bromley and Kent to bear the costs of Mr Newnham's offences.. The £6,030 should come from Mr Newnham, even if it took him several years to pay.
The prosecution followed a joint investigation by Bromley’s Public Protection and Street and Environment Departments, and KCC's Environmental Enforcement Team. Their efforts and excellent joint working have been rewarded with success.
You can find an article in KOS Media on the sentencing, and incorporating comments from my colleague David Brazier, whose portfolio includes responsibility for waste issues, here.
Mr Jason Newnham, owner of the waste business JJ Clearances, pleaded guilty to 13 fly-tipping offences at Bromley Magistrates Court on 24 July and was sentenced on 6 August to 240 hours of unpaid community work and to pay compensation and clean up costs of £6,030. Mr Newnham stated that the waste was tipped by his son without his knowledge, but prosecutors pointed out that, whatever the truth of this might or might not be, Mr Newnham was liable under law for his son's actions.
The District Judge told Mr Newnham that he was lucky to escape a custodial sentence, and that this was only because of the view taken by the previous bench. In ordering costs and compensation the Judge said that it should not be left up to the council tax payers of Bromley and Kent to bear the costs of Mr Newnham's offences.. The £6,030 should come from Mr Newnham, even if it took him several years to pay.
The prosecution followed a joint investigation by Bromley’s Public Protection and Street and Environment Departments, and KCC's Environmental Enforcement Team. Their efforts and excellent joint working have been rewarded with success.
You can find an article in KOS Media on the sentencing, and incorporating comments from my colleague David Brazier, whose portfolio includes responsibility for waste issues, here.
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