Seaford: Fury at councillors taught in huts

Increases in the numbers of students attending Chyngton Primary School and Seaford Head Community College means extra space is needed.

At a meeting of Seaford Town Council s planning and highways committee on Monday councillors dubbed the mobile classrooms huts and raised concerns about the welfare of students and teachers using them.

Mayor Les Whittle, who is also a governor of Chyngton School, was outraged at the proposals.

He said: It is about time the county council got some permanent buildings for pupils. They are not good for children and not good for teachers. Why is it acceptable to put children in huts? We would not put the police or the Citizens Advice Bureau in huts.

Cllr Gilly Cowdrey agreed: I am not happy with children being educated in huts.

Teachers do not like teaching in huts. In

summer they are sweating all day long and in the winter are freezing. I think is is time we had a new permanent school in town.

I do not think it is acceptable. If I had a five-year-old I would be unhappy that my money was being spent to educate them in a hut.

Cllr Jon Freeman added: We have seen a growth in our primary school numbers. We ought to be able to plan ahead. We hear education, education, education but what it really means is huts, huts and more huts.

However, Cllr Julian Peterson commented: It is not ideal to have these buildings.

But he added: It is not bringing the doom of hades down on these children.

Town council leader Laurie Holland said a message should be sent to the county council that it needed to review how it projected the number of pupils attending town schools to avoid future problems.

Councillors recommended Lewes District Council approve the applications but voiced misgivings about the use of mobile classrooms.

A county council spokeswoman told the Sussex Express a single mobile classroom at Chyngton Primary School was necessary due to an extra large year group starting in September. If funds were available a permanent extension would be built.

The spokeswoman explained that an increasing role at Seaford Head Community College and more adult education students meant two double mobile classrooms were required.

She said another permanent extension was planned for 2004.

Published: 14.6.01 Sussex Newspapers Ltd