Werrington Fields decision 'soul destroying' for campaign group
Peterborough City Council's agreed to try and settle a legal claim
Campaigners looking to keep public access to Werrington Fields in Peterborough believe they're not being heard.
The dispute between Werrington residents and the Four Cs Academy Trust - which runs the Ken Stimpson Academy - has been ongoing for several years with both sides unable to reach a compromise on the land known as Werrington Fields.
"It's devastating for the city because it feels like what is the point of local councillors if they're not standing up for local people against rich corporations that trample over local decision-making," Nyree Ambarchian, from the Save Werrington Fields campaign group, said.
In March, Peterborough city councillors agreed to lease a section of Werrington Fields (Area C1) to the Ken Stimpson Academy, albeit a smaller section than the school’s academy trust said it would accept.
The academy trust then filed a judicial review claim with the Administrative Court in July, claiming the authority’s decision to split the land named Area C into C1 and C2 was "unlawful".
Plans are 'soul-destroying'
This week, city council cabinet members decided to try and settle the claim which would reduce the council's legal costs, something Save Werrington Fields is disappointed with.
"It's soul-destroying," Nyree added.
"We will be regrouping and figuring out what our next step is, but I'm not going to pretend it feels a particularly buoyant moment."
Werrington Fields has been used by both the public and the school for decades, but the school now wishes to fence off the area due to concerns over safeguarding risks to pupils.
All parties are in dispute over the use of the land, with the academy trust claiming it to be educational while residents say it is mixed use open space.
It's understood that the Four Cs may be prepared to accept a lease of all of Area C with the exception of a 15-metre wide space on three sides.
Legal challenge 'not good for anyone'
Cllr Christian Hogg, cabinet member for housing and regulatory services, told councillors that "if we lose then there is going to be money out of our budget.
"Equally, if we win the Four Cs will have to pay and that money has got to come from somewhere and I’m thinking this just does not look good.
“The result of a judicial review does not look good for anyone.”
Ward councillors John Fox, Judy Fox and Sarah Hillier all spoke at the meeting and urged cabinet members to fight the legal claim.
A report put before cabinet members stated that defending the claim would be expected to cost the council £100,000, as well as paying the academy trust’s costs of between £100,000 and £200,000 if the authority were to lose.
Council leader Shabina Qayyum said it was important to “balance the views” of all involved and ultimately “put the children first.
“We have always been an administration that is going to bat for the children and that was at the centre and forefront of our decision,” she said.
It was previously reported that the council agreed to pay half the cost of erecting a fence, with the total cost thought to be around £80,000.
The Four Cs Academy Trust has been approached for comment.