David Boynton Raises His Concerns About Longcroft Site

Councillor David Boynton of Beverley Town Council has declared his intention to stand as an Independent candidate for East Riding Council, St Marys Ward with a statement questioning the council’s plans for the future of the Longcroft site.

Cllr Boynton writes:

“I would like to raise the issue of Longcroft School development as this is a matter that will affect a large amount of people in Beverley, not just our current students and parents, but also the children and parents of the future.”

“In July 2012 the Hull Daily Mail reported “Housing developers could knock down and replace Beverley’s biggest secondary school as part of plans to build 800 homes. Longcroft School in Molescroft would be demolished and replaced with a £25 million “fit for purpose” facility”.

“At the time nobody at East Riding Council was willing to comment and later plans appeared to have been stopped.”

“On the 10th February 2015 Graham Stuart “Welcomed the announcement of important new schools investment in Beverley and Holderness.  Longcroft School in Beverley and Withernsea Primary School will both receive funding for major capital projects under the second phase of the Government’s Priority School Building Programme, which is worth around £2 billion in total.”

“At Longcroft School this will enable the replacement of the Lower School Building and at Withernsea Primary this will allow the infant school to be rebuilt”.

“A total of around £4 million has been allocated to renovation work on the school site over the period 2015-2017.”

“It appears that East Riding Council already have an opinion and plans in place for Longcroft School. I feel this issue should be raised in open public now, as the elections are fast approaching and work at Longcroft School is due to start in 2015.”

“I welcome the investment in Longcroft, however it is my understanding that the lower school and part of the playing fields will be sold off to a housing development. This appears short sighted when Beverley is expanding rapidly and we may well need the space to develop further facilities at the school in the future.”

“Also, at a time when we have seen our local sports teams struggling to find pitches would it not be a better option to demolish lower school and keep this for sports and recreational activities, leaving the fields for future school expansion if required?”

“I have raised these concerns with East Riding Council, but have yet to receive a response This is an important  issue for Beverley, which I believe needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency. Beverley’s voters should have the chance to question those candidates who are standing for Parliament and East Riding Council in 2015 on this issue before they cast their ballots at both national and local level on 7 May.’

Councillor Boynton was elected to Beverley Town Council on a Conservative ticket in a by-election in 2013 in the ward of St Mary’s East, but has since left the Conservative group to serve as an Independent in which capacity he will be standing in St Mary’s ward in the East Riding Council, elections in May.