THE council’s education boss has agreed to attend a public meeting after it emerged a secondary school had been delayed.

Essex County Council said, in 2013, a new secondary school would open at the Chesterwell site in Mile End this year.

It now says the school, Trinity Academy, which is set to take 180 pupils per year, will not open until September 2021.

Some parents on the 1,600-home estate applying for places in Year 7 this year have been offered Colchester Academy - four miles away.

READ MORE: Schools places crisis as new Colchester secondary delayed

After the Gazette broke the story, Anne Turrell, county councillor for Mile End, met with Ray Gooding, the cabinet member for education, seeking answers.

Mrs Turrell said a public meeting had been agreed with a date and venue to confirmed.

She added: “It was a constructive meeting.

“He was able to confirm things for me that I can give to residents.”

Mrs Turrell said some parents on Chesterwell raised concerns over their children having to walk 15 minutes to the nearest bus stop then catch two buses to the Colchester Academy on the other side of town.

She added: “Essex County Council will always supply appropriate transport but cannot supply that until parents apply for the school.

“If parents think they qualify, then please apply.”

The council has said it built Paxman Academy, Shrub End, due to open this September, before the Trinity Academy because more housing would be built in south Colchester before the north of the town.

Lib Dem Mrs Turrell said she also wanted to find out how many children need places in the Stanway and town centre areas compared to Mile End.

Before the Trinity Academy is built at Chesterwell, developer Mersea Homes needs to prepare the land for Essex County Council which will need planning permission.

Essex County Council has said there are sufficient school places in Colchester and has pointed to expansions at the Gilberd and Stanway and Philip Morant schools, which are both about five miles from Chesterwell.