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HUNDREDS of people have signed a petition against plans for a new children?s centre.
Following the move, county council bosses have agreed to look again at plans for a Sure Start centre at Down Hall Primary School, in Rayleigh.
Families living near the proposed facility collected more than 300 signatures to outline their concerns about parking and traffic problems which may arise, and fears pupils at the school could be disrupted.
Organisers of the petition, who asked not to be named, wrote to residents about the issues.
Their letter said: ?We feel the schoolchildren will not benefit, but lose out and suffer with the disruptive sounds of crying babies, noisy toddlers and parents talking when arriving, leaving and playing at the children?s centre.
?Although we understand what Sure Start and Down Hall Primary School are trying to achieve, we feel this centre would be best placed away from this small school, in a more suitable environment that does not take away valuable and already insufficient parking space.?
The Government has made a manifesto commitment that councils across the country will roll out the centres by next year, providing comprehensive services for parents and young children.
Planning permission for the Rayleigh scheme will be decided by the county council?s development and regulation committee. However, Rochford District Council will be consulted and the application considered by the development control committee, which can make comments or objections, before any decision is made.
Steven Castle, county councillor responsible for education, is also the Tory county councillor for Rayleigh North, which includes Down Hall ward.He said he was aware of residents? feelings, and officers would look again at the plans.
Mr Castle said: ?I was at the public meeting where these concerns were expressed forcibly.
?I have asked officers to look at the current phase of Sure Start centres again, in the light of this and other concerns which have been expressed at various places across Essex.
?The first phase of children?s centres was greeted with open arms, but it has been much more difficult now we have to roll them across the whole country.?
Chris Black, the Lib Dem Rochford district councillor for Down Hall ward, said: ?It is obvious residents are very concerned about parking and access.?He said the matter could be raised as a planning issue by the district council.
I think it’s a pity that the organisers of the petition feel unable to put their name to it. Especialy as it has a lot of support.
There are valid reasons for not putting our names forward, our names are being given to the appropriate people that we need to give it to and meetings have been arranged with these. There are now over 370 names on the petition and it is great that we have lots of people supporting us. The above wording on the petition has been edited incorrectly and should say “that does not take away valuable (already insufficent) playground space especially in a time when childhood obesity is on the increase. somewhere that has more accessible access roads and where there are proper parking facilities. As a community we are very concerned on the safety of our school and what this centre could offer in years to come. No risk (no matter how small) should be placed on valnerable school children! We agree these cenres are an asset to any community but in the correct place that benifits everyone.
There are valid reasons for not putting our names forward, our names are being given to the appropriate people that we need to give it to and meetings have been arranged with these. There are now over 370 names on the petition and it is great that we have lots of people supporting us. The above wording on the petition has been edited incorrectly and should say “that does not take away valuable (already insufficent) playground space especially in a time when childhood obesity is on the increase. somewhere that has more accessible access roads and where there are proper parking facilities. As a community we are very concerned on the safety of our school and what this centre could offer in years to come. No risk (no matter how small) should be placed on vulnerable school children! We agree these centres are an asset to any community but in the correct place that benefits everyone.