1,000 signatures reached
To: Bristol City Council
Justice for Cotham School
Please support the children of Cotham School’s right to secure, safe and clean playing fields AND:
1) ACCEPT that unless BCC, local lobbyists or other third parties are prepared to:
- Pay for full time staff to monitor the playing fields
- Sign off a risk assessment for the playing fields
- Take on full liability for any incidents that occur on the playing fields
They must respect Cotham School’s own risk assessment as a standalone academy that a perimeter fence is required to keep the fields safe.
2) ACCEPT BCC’s own planning office’s statement that Cotham School requires no planning permission to erect a fence around the perimeter of the playing fields that BCC has leased to the school for 125 years.
3) ACCEPT the May 2018 High Court ruling in Cotham School’s favour that BCC ‘failed erroneously and unlawfully’ by giving Stoke Lodge playing fields special Town and Village Green (TVG) status.
4) REJECT any new TVG / rights of way etc planning applications for Stoke Lodge playing fields.
5) DENOUNCE the harassment and intimidation suffered by Cotham School staff and agents whilst working on site at Stoke Lodge playing fields.
6) AGREE that dogs should not be allowed on sports pitches.
7) WORK WITH the school to replace the burnt out pavilion with modern changing room facilities by coming up with an acceptable transport plan.
8) HELP get Cotham School’s children get back to and enjoying the freedom of their own playing fields as soon as possible.
VIDEO LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqaKY5ELNhQ
1) ACCEPT that unless BCC, local lobbyists or other third parties are prepared to:
- Pay for full time staff to monitor the playing fields
- Sign off a risk assessment for the playing fields
- Take on full liability for any incidents that occur on the playing fields
They must respect Cotham School’s own risk assessment as a standalone academy that a perimeter fence is required to keep the fields safe.
2) ACCEPT BCC’s own planning office’s statement that Cotham School requires no planning permission to erect a fence around the perimeter of the playing fields that BCC has leased to the school for 125 years.
3) ACCEPT the May 2018 High Court ruling in Cotham School’s favour that BCC ‘failed erroneously and unlawfully’ by giving Stoke Lodge playing fields special Town and Village Green (TVG) status.
4) REJECT any new TVG / rights of way etc planning applications for Stoke Lodge playing fields.
5) DENOUNCE the harassment and intimidation suffered by Cotham School staff and agents whilst working on site at Stoke Lodge playing fields.
6) AGREE that dogs should not be allowed on sports pitches.
7) WORK WITH the school to replace the burnt out pavilion with modern changing room facilities by coming up with an acceptable transport plan.
8) HELP get Cotham School’s children get back to and enjoying the freedom of their own playing fields as soon as possible.
VIDEO LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqaKY5ELNhQ
Why is this important?
Some councillors and local lobbyists have persistently blocked school children from their own playing fields, resulting in Cotham School paying over £100,000 in legal fees and still not having their own useable pitches. It has to stop. School staff and workers must be protected against harassment from deep-pocketed and time-rich local lobbyists, and be left in peace to carry out the work of running a highly successful and popular secondary school.
