Funding approved for new school

From the archive, first published Thursday 7th Dec 2006.

PROPOSALS for a new primary school to amalgamate both High Bentham and Low Bentham schools have taken another step forward.

Funding for the project has now been approved by North Yorkshire County Council's executive. Members also agreed to publish notices proposing the formation of a new, single school for the two communities.

County councillor John Watson said: "Both of the current schools are good, but High Bentham is on a restricted site and has a prefabricated hall and Low Bentham has very low numbers. A new school would have a nursery with childcare and early education and could be a base for other locally delivered services."

Once the notices are published, the public will have six weeks to make their views known.

The final decision is likely to be made by the School Organisation Committee, a separate statutory body to the local education authority.

Once the proposals are approved, the county council will seek planning permission for the new building. The new school would be paid for by the sale of the two existing school buildings and extra capital from the county council.

The cost - excluding the land - is estimated at around £2.5 million and a site has been earmarked between High and Low Bentham on land adjacent to Burnside Nursery, in Low Bentham Road.

The new primary school is expected to be opened in September 2009.