Friday 23rd January 2015, Saffron Walden: Residents-for-Uttlesford (R4U), the local advocacy party for towns and villages, announces success in its campaign for more school places in Saffron Walden.
Essex County Council has announced that the R A Butler School will provide 15 additional permanent primary school reception year places in 2015 and it is seeking Katherine Semar to admit 30 more by 2017. This equates to one and a half reception forms.
Cllr John Lodge (R4U)
Sharon Morris (R4U)
Cllr John Lodge added “R4U and residents’ groups are encouraged by these additional 45 reception places at existing town schools. This is a good but only partial first step; children in the new homes aren’t just of reception age, and so places need to be provided for the other ages. Our campaigning secured a further success last year with the allocation of a whole new primary school for the east of Saffron Walden. But I need to continue to hold the council to deliver on its promise and actually deliver the new school.”
About Residents for Uttlesford
Residents for Uttlesford (R4U) is the local party of towns and villages. The party was formed by a number of residents’ groups in north-west Essex to provide a strong, independent voice for local people. The party believes that on local issues residents should decide, not politicians from Westminster parties.
R4U is the fastest growing local political movement in the district. In 2015 it became the second party at Uttlesford District Council. In 2017 R4U achieved further gains with a 60% share of the vote in a local district council by-election. Success has been based on the group’s desire to give local people a voice and implement long range strategic and sustainable plans for their area.
Residents for Uttlesford also has numerous Town and Parish Councillors. It is the largest party at Saffron Walden Town Council, where under its stewardship the council has rebuilt its finances, invested in community assets, and won multiple awards.
R4U can be found on the web at www.residents4u.org.