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Derek Smith
16,224 posts
118 months
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There was an attempt to sell off land adjacent to the school that all my kids went to. There was a big fight and the axe was stayed. Then the school expanded, gaining around and extra 20% of students, and this meant more buildings so encoraching on the land used for sports. So the school expected to be able to expand into the adjacent land that it owned but the local authority refused the planning permission as, many felt, they wanted it under-used.
The land is still vacant, and not used by the school. However, the school is undergoing further expansion so hopefully they might be able to put pressure on the LA. With any luck these off-the-cuff empty promises by the coalition might just be enough to convince the LA that selling off of the land is not a good idea.
Howeer, I'm 65 and if all those years have taught me anything it is that nothing ever changes when politicians are involved. There will be no investment in sport for all, there will be no lessening of the selling off of school land, there will be too few politicans who care to make a difference. It is wrong to say all politicains are the same. What is true though is that all political parties are the same. They look after themselves first second and third. The rest of us never get on the podium. (Topical analogy there.)
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turbobloke
55,695 posts
130 months
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BoRED S2upid said: turbobloke said: BoRED S2upid said: DJRC said: Define surplus?
I must admit I struggle with the idea of why any school should have "surplus" playing fields. If you have them...bloody well use them!!! Theres probably a formula more than a square meter per pupil is surplus. 2 sq m for each obese kid? No they are exempt from the formula because they will be in the canteen at lunchtimes not running around on what limited grass is left. Good point well made.
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elster
16,668 posts
80 months
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So they are selling off school fields at the same rate as they were doing before coming into power, a key point is this gruniad said: Some of the playing fields are being disposed of after school closures.
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stevejh
599 posts
74 months
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elster said: So they are selling off school fields at the same rate as they were doing before coming into power, a key point is this gruniad said: Some of the playing fields are being disposed of after school closures. I believe there were only eight approvals of disposals in 2011. http://www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/SN01096
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crankedup
9,262 posts
113 months
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Mustn't concern ourselves unduly, just think about all those Gold Medals U.K. has just won  Hypocrisy at its finest.
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Blue62
1,421 posts
22 months
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Over 10,000 playing fields were sold off between 1979 and 1997 apparently.
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elster
16,668 posts
80 months
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stevejh said: elster said: So they are selling off school fields at the same rate as they were doing before coming into power, a key point is this gruniad said: Some of the playing fields are being disposed of after school closures. I believe there were only eight approvals of disposals in 2011. http://www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/SN01096 According to the map there were 11
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Caulkhead
4,938 posts
27 months
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martin84 said: Well I just think it's depressing when these places get turned into chav filled housing estates. I thought the primary aim of every labour government was to turn everywhere into chav-filled housing estates? Would you be happier if they were all turned into tory-filled five bedroom detached residences of the neo-georgian style?
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Blue62
1,421 posts
22 months
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Caulkhead said: I thought the primary aim of every labour government was to turn everywhere into chav-filled housing estates?
Would you be happier if they were all turned into tory-filled five bedroom detached residences of the neo-georgian style? Utopia anyone?
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mattnunn
4,229 posts
31 months
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I saw Jeremy Hunt on the BBC olympic breakfast show yesterday pointedly saying the selling of school sports facilities was a mistake by previous governments and that sporting excellance is a matter of national pride, 24hrs later Gove is selling them off...
Twonks...
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fid
2,374 posts
110 months
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mattnunn said: I saw Jeremy Hunt on the BBC olympic breakfast show yesterday pointedly saying the selling of school sports facilities was a mistake by previous governments and that sporting excellance is a matter of national pride, 24hrs later Gove is selling them off...
Twonks... Surplus should still be sold.
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johnfm
9,109 posts
120 months
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It is an interesting dilemma.
I recall my school years in Australia - every summer lunchtime spent playing cricket. Every winter playing Aussie rules. 'Proper' school sports day with a full array of events even at primary school - all the jumping events, some field events (no Javelin IIRC).
We had a full aussie rules oval which was marked up into an 8 lane, 400m athletics grass track for double use. Long jump pits, high jump mats etc.
Fast forward 25-30 years to the UK. My kids' school sports day at primary school. Virtually no athletics events - a short sprint of maybe 50 m and a longer event consisting a few laps of the tiny grassed area next to the school. Long jump pit? No chance. High jump mats? Hahahah.
I think it is an amazing testimony to the brits that despite limited facilities you are still churning out Gold medal winners.
Imagine what it could be like in a few decades if school sport gets a boost. Not sure how selling off space to play will help.
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Aids
206 posts
37 months
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iphonedyou
2,678 posts
27 months
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Caulkhead said: I thought the primary aim of every labour government was to turn everywhere into chav-filled housing estates?
Would you be happier if they were all turned into tory-filled five bedroom detached residences of the neo-georgian style? I certainly would be. If one had a genuine choice between a chav filled housing estate and a tory filled five bedroom detached residence in the neo-georgian style, wouldn't the latter always be preferable?
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stevejh
599 posts
74 months
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iphonedyou said: Caulkhead said: I thought the primary aim of every labour government was to turn everywhere into chav-filled housing estates?
Would you be happier if they were all turned into tory-filled five bedroom detached residences of the neo-georgian style? I certainly would be. If one had a genuine choice between a chav filled housing estate and a tory filled five bedroom detached residence in the neo-georgian style, wouldn't the latter always be preferable? Can we have a few neo-Edwardian and mock Tudor residences for a bit of variety.
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King Herald
18,479 posts
86 months
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fid said: f it's surplus, sell it. Playing fields aren't free to maintain. Use the savings to improve sports funding. Gove 1, Guardian 0. And then sell off the playgrounds, as most kids don't use them, too busy on their PSP and Nintendo DS I assume....
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fid
2,374 posts
110 months
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King Herald said: And then sell off the playgrounds, as most kids don't use them, too busy on their PSP and Nintendo DS I assume.... That's so easy to resolve though. No head teacher should allow it.
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Morningside
16,855 posts
99 months
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stevejh said: Well apparently; 'under section 77 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. School playing fields can be sold only if they are genuinely surplus, with all proceeds being used to improve sports or educational facilities.'
So it might be interesting to see the actual facts of these playing field sales although it's worth noting that Labour sold off 200 school playing fields whilst in power so I'm not sure how much notice of this Act either government has taken. Mind you, it is the law so presumably each case was thoroughly vetted. They would be surplus if they are closing all the middle schools like they are here.
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Caulkhead
4,938 posts
27 months
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iphonedyou said: Caulkhead said: I thought the primary aim of every labour government was to turn everywhere into chav-filled housing estates?
Would you be happier if they were all turned into tory-filled five bedroom detached residences of the neo-georgian style? I certainly would be. If one had a genuine choice between a chav filled housing estate and a tory filled five bedroom detached residence in the neo-georgian style, wouldn't the latter always be preferable? To me, yes but I suspect no to the OP.
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martin84
Original Poster
5,366 posts
23 months
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Caulkhead said: I thought the primary aim of every labour government was to turn everywhere into chav-filled housing estates?
Would you be happier if they were all turned into tory-filled five bedroom detached residences of the neo-georgian style? I'd be happier if the tory-filled residences and chav housing estates were both set on fire to such a degree it could be seen from space.
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