Continuing the debate on the controversial 256,000 extra primary school places and Sutton’s needs for a number greater that 5 per cent, I have something further to add.

Tom Brake MP wrote to me saying that he was, "not sure your figures are correct."

After an exchange of email / letters he has now quoted from the Sutton Council’s website, "In October 2011, 13,927 pupils attended Sutton Primary schools.

By September 2014 this is predicted to rise to 15,906 and by September 2016 it is expected to reach 16,996."

I hope my maths is correct, but that is a 22 per cent rise in 5 years. I hope in the future to put this into a historical perspective.

Sutton Council has yet to comment on the 256,000 aspect of the issue and to confirm or deny the 12,800 need for 2014.

In the meantime can I highlight what the 2011 census reveals in regards to population.

In the 10 years since 2001 Sutton’s population has increased by 11.32 per cent.

This is only going to increase.

The Joint Strategic Needs Assessment 2013 for Sutton reveals interesting figures. From the 2011 Census, Sutton has a population of 191,123 projected to rise to 222,000 (16 per cent) by 2021.

This means that there is likely to be a 30 per cent increase from the 2001 figures by 2021. This is truly amazing even if the other figure is not correct. The point of all this being that public services are being squeezed by the effects of mass migration.

Council tax payers should brace themselves for future increases as the knock on effects into secondary education is self evident, not to mention health, social services and housing.

Bill Main-Ian
Sutton UKIP

 

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