VAT change fails to spark school exodus in Medway

Plus plans for flats on a council car park, Chatham's new security 'ambassadors,' news in brief, and more.

When the government scrapped the VAT exemption on private schools at the start of the year, certain quarters warned of an exodus of students into state schools that wouldn’t be able to cope. New data from Medway Council suggests that there is little sign of that happening yet. We get into it below. Further down, we have news of plans for flats on a council car park, new security ‘ambassadors’ in Chatham, news in brief, and more.

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VAT change fails to spark school exodus in Medway

The removal of the VAT exemption for private schools that kicked in at the start of the year led to claims that state schools would be overrun by students of parents who could no longer afford the additional 20% on top of their already expensive fees.

In Medway, though, the much-feared exodus of pupils into the state sector hasn’t arrived.

This latest report was put together after Conservative councillor Mark Joy, the party’s Shadow Cabinet Member for Children's Services and Education, asked for the issue to be added to the agenda of the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Committee this week. The Conservatives campaigned hard against the VAT change and were probably hoping to find some devastating figures to prove their case. In the end, the data doesn’t give them much to work with.

Part of King’s Rochester

From January 2025, private schools across the country have faced a 20% VAT hike after the Labour government scrapped the long-standing exemption. Politicians promised the move would fund state education. Meanwhile, independent schools warned it would lead to families exiting the sector and force closures across the board.

Medway Council reached out to five local independent schools, asking for their pupil numbers over the last four years. Only Bryony School in Rainham and King’s Rochester actually replied, but that was enough to spot a trend in the figures.

Bryony School’s numbers dropped from 122 to 78 pupils between 2021 and 2025. King’s Rochester also saw a fall, from 672 to 572. At first glance, this appears to result from the VAT changes, but are things so simple? Bryony School is shutting its doors this year, but staff blame an expensive lease for the closure more than the tax change. They admit the new VAT rules didn’t help, but say it wasn’t the deciding factor.

So what about Medway’s state schools? The numbers suggest the feared tidal wave of new pupils has yet to materialise. In the current year, 27 pupils moved from local independent schools to the state sector. At the same time, 22 children moved in the other direction. That’s a net gain of just five extra pupils for state schools, hardly the stuff of nightmares.

Cllr Joy also asked if Medway Council were being hit with new costs given the number of students they fund in the independent sector. Medway Council says the VAT change here hasn’t made a dent. The council can reclaim the VAT on its own placements under existing rules, so no extra spending is required.

The real financial strain, as ever, comes from special educational needs. Last year, Medway spent £18m on independent specialist provision for children with Education Health and Care Plans. However, the VAT change doesn’t touch this bill at all.

Medway Council admits there’s a risk that things could change. If more families abandon the private sector in the future, local state schools could start to feel the pressure. For now, though, the few that have made the switch have been successfully accommodated. The council rates the risk as moderate and unlikely.

The national picture is a bit messier. Over 50 private schools have shut or announced closures since the VAT policy was announced. Some parents have tried to dodge the new tax by paying fees in advance, a move now being scrutinised by HMRC.

For Medway, it’s all been less dramatic than some predicted.

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Council eyes 21 flats for Chatham car park

New plans have been submitted to build on the Upper Mount car park in Chatham, with Medway Council’s own Medway Development Company aiming to build 21 affordable flats in a three-storey block. The site itself is a split-level car park tucked behind Old Road, boxed in by terraced houses, newer flats, a church and a Papa John’s. It’s not exactly a beauty spot, and is precisely the site Medway needs to be developing to avoid even larger greenfield development.

Proposals for the Upper Mount car park in Chatham.

The plan is to offer a mix of one, two and three-bedroom flats, each with its own balcony, and private gardens for those on the ground floor. There is also the promise of a residents-only community garden at one end, with raised beds and a bit of grass. Perhaps more unusually, the development is proposed to be entirely ‘affordable’ rented units, with the flats set to make up for the lack of affordable provision in the ongoing redevelopment at Mountbatten House.

Parking remains the classic sticking point. The proposals offer 18 spaces for 21 homes, less than the council’s guidelines suggest. The developer points to its closeness to Chatham station and town centre as reasons why the reduction is justified. That will be small comfort for those who will inevitably have to engage in battle for a space at the development or those in the surrounding streets. At the public consultation held in February, just three people turned up. Most agreed the area needed more homes, but parking and access were the main concerns. There is already one formal objection from a resident on Westmount Avenue, who lives just behind the site, and is concerned about the flats overlooking their property.

The planning documents describe the site as highly sustainable. It is brownfield, close to shops, buses and trains, and not in a conservation area. The design includes one of the first efforts to satisfy the new Chatham Design Code, resulting in a staggered block in buff and darker bricks, which is supposed to reflect the area’s architectural heritage.

Medway’s housing numbers, both affordable and unaffordable, are well short of what is needed, so these 21 flats help close the gap, at least on paper. Whether the development will make a noticeable difference to the area is uncertain.

You can read the full plans for the Upper Mount car park and respond to the application here.

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Chatham’s new ambassadorial security guards

Chatham’s town centre has acquired some new fixtures in the form of so-called ‘street ambassadors,’ who are patrolling the High Street and nearby streets every day as part of a £27,000 pilot. Officially, they’re there to offer help, support local businesses, and keep an eye out for trouble. Their presence is part of a partnership between the Chatham Town Centre Forum, Pentagon Shopping Centre, and Medway Development Company, with staff supplied by Fallow Management.

Scrolling through the upbeat social media posts from the council and business groups, you’d be forgiven for picturing a welcome team handing out leaflets or pointing tourists in the right direction. The language is all about ‘support’ and ‘assistance.’

One look at the uniforms and the tone changes. In the image posted by Medway Council Leader Vince Maple, the ambassadors patrol in protective vests that say SECURITY in large letters with body-worn cameras clipped to their chests. Hardly the look of a concierge role.

This kind of rebranding isn’t unique to Chatham. Across the UK, ‘ambassador’ schemes are often a new label for private security patrols. At least in official statements, the intention is to provide a reassuring presence and act as a deterrent for antisocial behaviour and shoplifting, both ongoing concerns for Chatham town centre. At the same time, it’s presented as a move to make the area feel more welcoming for shoppers and visitors, with ambassadors offering directions and help as needed. Whether that makes Chatham feel safer or simply more heavily policed is a matter of perception.

The trial runs until December, with the future of the scheme likely to depend on how it’s received by the public and local traders. For the time being, the patrols are set to become a familiar presence in the town centre of Chatham, so we’ll be interested to see how much they are able to achieve.

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In brief

🚛 The recycling site on Medway City Estate that saw a huge fire last month is to be closed. Operator Viridor blamed ‘challenging market conditions,’ with 42 employees being made redundant.

🏆 Medway Council Leader Vince Maple is a finalist for Labour Councillor of the Year at the SME4Labour Awards.

🍔 Burger King at Hempstead Valley has been granted permission to operate its drive-through 24 hours a day, bringing it in line with nearby McDonald’s in Medway.

🗣️ Chancellor Rachel Reeves visited the Haven holiday park in Allhallows this week for some reason.

😶 Medway’s Councillor Conduct Committee will meet next week to discuss a complaint against a sitting councillor. We’d love to tell you more about it, but these things happen behind closed doors because there is a ‘public interest' in keeping the details secret.

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More Authority

For our weekend interview, Steven sat down with Hilary Cooke, CEO of Medway Pride and electrologist. They discuss how Medway Pride got started, her career as a shipbuilder, and a remarkable trip to the US that led to her being on a very famous TV show.

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Footnotes

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Music that soundtracked the creation of this edition: Searching For A Stream by Garden Centre, Play The Songs You Like by Radiator Hospital, and Middle Spoon by Cheekface.