APPROVAL of plans to divert a public footpath which running through a private school’s grounds has been delayed after concerns that objectors to the proposal had not been told about the meeting at which they were to be considered.

Poole council’s planning committee gave its unanimous backing to re-route the footpath around the edge of Canford School’s playing fields at a meeting on Thursday.

However, a decision has been delegated to its head of growth and infrastructure, Julian McLaughlin, to sign-off after confusion over whether the council had correctly informed objectors that the application was due to be determined.

Concerns that the council had not complied with its own policies by not notifying people who had opposed the school’s application were raised by Cllr Marion Pope.

A number of objections had been submitted by residents to the proposal centred around fears about the risk to walkers of the new route which is closer to Magna Road.

Representing the school, Andrew Pruce, said that there were “significant” safeguarding and safety risks associated with the current route which cuts through its grounds past its boarding areas.

He said that the school would fund improvements to its proposed new route to make it safer for walkers.

“The diversion removes a significant safety and safeguarding risk as the existing route runs right past the boarding areas,” he said.

“It reduces the risk of accidental or purposeful trespass and also removes the problem of dog waste on the school grounds.”

However, Cllr Pope said that diverting the route would not prevent people from entering the school elsewhere and that it was an important part of the Stour Valley Way.

Members of the committee unanimously supported the application but agreed that a decision be delegated to Mr McLaughlin for final approval due to Cllr Pope’s concerns about the possibility of the council not correctly following its processes by failing to inform objectors of Thursday’s meeting.

Planning officers said they were “fairly comfortable” that they had acted correctly but admitted “an element of hesitation” and recommended that the committee take the decision to delegate a final decision.