Full council to revisit Werrington Fields decision

A council's decision to fence off fields used by residents so that school pupils can take part in outdoor sports will now undergo further debate.

Peterborough City Council had decided on 16 July to build a fence around Werrington Fields in Peterborough, as it said it was designated educational land.

Ken Stimpson Academy want to fence off the field to safeguard its pupils, but some local residents want it to remain open to the public.

The decision has gone through a process known as "calling in" - a way for a decision the cabinet has taken to be looked at again - and councillors have decided the issue will now be debated by full council.

The decision to fence off Werrington Fields has been divisive .

The school stopped pupils from using the open field after a number of anti-social incidents. At the meeting on Thursday one event was recalled by a student, who has become a city councillor.

Daisy Blakemore-Creedon was elected as a Labour city councillor in May and was a Year 7 student in 2017. She said some former students had turned up at her sports day that year and "put people's safeguarding at risk". She said that was the last time the school held a sports day.

She said the incident meant the students no longer had access to sports, such as rugby and larger games of football.

Damian Whales, the headteacher of Ken Stimpson Academy, spoke at the meeting and emphasised the need to safeguard pupils after a number of incidents.

Local residents said the fields should be shared, with a smaller portion of the site fenced off for use by the school. The fields have been open for the last 40 years and residents regularly use them.

Mr Whales said the Department for Education has previously told the school it cannot dispose of any of the land for public use.

Councillors at the meeting vote unanimously to refer the matter back to full council.

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