Residents and school remain divided over decision to fence off public green space
Peterborough City Council has delayed its final decision on fencing off a piece of land which has caused division between a secondary school and residents who have used the land for many years.
A full council meeting was held on January 22, where councillors were recommended to agree that all the land designated for educational use at Ken Stimpson Academy, including the main school site and the school playing fields, should be leased to The Four Cs Academy Trust under a new 125-year deal.
However, council leader Dennis Jones began the meeting by proposing a deferral due to a letter being received from the Department for Education (DfE) on the same day.
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Peterborough mayor Marco Cereste agreed to the deferral and told the meeting: “New information has come to light and a letter has been sent to us which all councillors need to read and digest before they make any kind of decision.”
The letter states that it is usual practice for all land designated as educational use to be made available to the school, but it is “ultimately for the council to agree with the academy trust” how much of the land is leased and not a matter for the DfE.
It adds: “It is also the responsibility of the academy trust to safeguard its pupils and put in place measures to ensure children using the playing fields are safe.”
This would allow the council to decide a compromise on Werrington Fields and potentially keep some space for public use, which residents have been campaigning for years.
Despite the letter being labelled as “new information”, some people, including members of the Save Werrington Fields group, claim that the information was already known.
In February 2024, former Peterborough MP Paul Bristow asked then Prime Minister Rishi Sunak whether Werrington Fields was a matter entirely for the local authority. Mr Sunak responded by saying the DfE told him that the council can provide “some” of the land to be fenced, providing the overall site remains educational land.
Council leader Dennis Jones argues that the letter received on January 22 before the full council meeting was the “clearest indication yet” that the council has an alternative to the decision that was proposed, and that is why the final decision was deferred.
He said: “We’re just making sure that everybody has time to read [the letter] and inwardly digest.”
Councillor John Fox, who represents the Werrington ward, said: “We were adamant from day one, and we’ll stay adamant, that the whole field does not need to be fenced off.
“The school’s population has not increased drastically since 2021 and I don’t believe there’s an intention of enlarging the school. I don’t think they need it.
“The other part of the field, because it’s been used by the public for 50 years nearly, should be left open for the public. We’ve all stood by that since day one.
“I want to know why the council is pushing it against the will of the people of Werrington who we were elected to represent.
“The will of the people comes first and the only way you can find out what that is, is by public consultation. We did that in 2021 and the public wanted four fields, so that’s what it should stay at.”
Cllr Fox says he has asked for an urgent meeting with the council leader, chief executive and officers concerned.
After the full council meeting on January 22, Cllr Katy Cole, cabinet member for children’s services, said: “We remain focussed on moving forward on this issue as quickly as possible and continue to listen to the various viewpoints.
“We will not give up hope of finding a solution that pleases as many people as possible.”
Peterborough MP Andrew Pakes took to social media and said: “The position is clear: the council has the power to decide a compromise on Werrington Fields.
“This means protecting space for students to play sports safely and keeping some unfenced parts of the fields. This sorry mess has gone on for too long.”
Ken Stimpson Academy has been contacted for comment.
A date has not yet been confirmed for the final decision on Werrington Fields.