The following is a reader's letter, expressing their opinion on the issue of school place availability across the Maldon district area.

Dear Editor,

I read with alarm the disturbing letter by Alison Coombes identifying that some children and parents are being disadvantaged by current Essex County Council's school placement programme.

It certainly appears that Essex County Council's Education Strategy and newish - and I might add somewhat dubious local addendum - to the Published Government Home to school travel and transport legislation is in need of urgent reconsideration.

I am somewhat surprised by the obvious oversight regarding required places. It was identified in their ED80 - 10 Year Plan (Meeting the demand for school places in Essex 2019-2028).

It states the following on page 27 ... 'William De Ferrers School has sufficient accommodation to enable it to increase its Planned Admission Number (PAN) by up to 3 forms of entry, which can mitigate demand for the foreseeable future. Why would they not invoke this contingency or is it the view that families in the Maldon District matter less than those in surrounding areas?

I am sure that our three County Councillors would have vocally denounced this, should it be it the case.

There was also interestingly a case brought before the Office of the Schools Regulator by Essex County Council ref ADA3118 in 2016 .It ruled that the lowest the PAN for William de Ferrers should be set at was 240 but I noticed it's now 225.

Having read the ruling and sentiments from the Governors with respect to reasons given for the reduction, whilst it explains that from a school perspective it looks bad if the school isn't operating at its full capacity. I fail to comprehend why Essex County Council would have permitted the PAN to be lowered when by their own choosing they deem that William de Ferrers is the appropriate school for Dengie children and knew that the places were required?

Displacing children out of the area is surely not good for their mental health and wellbeing. How can such an insular approach be taken when looking at the perception of a school vs children in our District ? After all it's ECC that has that 'duty of care'!

It is warming to note that Mr John Whittingdale OBE has taken the view it is 'totally unacceptable' - it truly is .I would imagine he will continue to 'strain every sinew' to 'ramp up the rollout' of more school places for both now and in the future.

Vocally calling upon ECC to provide Infrastructure in our own District of Maldon, rather than that of Chelmsford City Council, would be warmly received.

I really do hope that common sense will prevail within Essex County Council and health is put before wealth. Have we not suffered enough over the past year ?

Tony Fittock

Latchingdon