Bid to stop school shifting fails

Monte Cecilia pupils protest at the council meeting last night against the moving of their school. Photo / Natalie Slade

Auckland City Mayor John Banks and his Citizens & Ratepayers allies last night defeated the latest attempt to prevent Monte Cecilia Primary School from shifting at a cost of at least $15 million to ratepayers.

Concerned parents and pupils waving placards applauded a technical move by City Vision and Labour councillors to revisit last month's decision by six C&R councillors to shift the school so Monte Cecilia Park can be extended.

They raised a 2001 resolution of the council requiring a designation over the school land to be lifted and replaced with the council getting the first right of refusal to purchase.

City Vision councillor Cathy Casey said the council had breached its contract with the school by not lifting the designation, which has stopped the Catholic diocese from making any capital investment in the school.

Another City Vision councillor, Glenda Fryer, said because this crucial piece of information was missing when the arts, culture and recreation committee decided to buy the land last month, the issue should be revisited.

Chief executive David Rankin said the council had never got round to removing the designation, but along the way the parties had come to a different agreement.

Deputy Mayor David Hay, who has led the move to shift the school and the Liston retirement village at a cost of an extra $5 million to $10 million, said at the end of the day there was an agreement between the diocese and the council to buy the land.

Mr Banks and C&R councillors agreed to some changes to the council record, but rejected the suggestion of referring the matter back to the arts, culture and recreation committee.

Noted councillor Mark Donnelly: "I think Sir Humphrey moved in here in the fullness of time."

Friends of Monte, a group made up of parents, community members and supporters of the school, is upset by the lack of consultation and believe the decision to move the school was completely unnecessary.

The local and school communities were prepared to shift the school buildings to a different part of the park, but wanted the school to remain in the area.

Monte Cecilia is a decile 6, state-integrated school with a roll of 210. It is the parish school of St John Vianney. The school opened in 1952 and was named after Mother Cecilia Maher of the Sisters of Mercy.

Friends of Monte believe that relocating the school further along Hillsborough Rd to near St John Vianney Church was unsuitable. Sloped grounds and a swampy area meant the sportsfields would be under water for part of the year. The group has the backing of Labour Party leader Phil Goff, who is their local MP.