Free school in site storm

PRIME location . . . the former South Chadderton School

OLDHAM Council is on a collision course with the Government over the borough’s first free school.

Council leader Jim McMahon is worried taxpayers could be forced to allow the school to use land at far below its market value and has warned the matter could end up in court.

Collective Spirit, which call itself a “faith-sensitive” secondary, was given the go-ahead in July. It is set to open with up to 60 year-seven pupils next September. Interviews were held for a head teacher last week.

Raja Miah, from Collective Spirit, told the Chronicle 20 parents had selected it as first-choice school for their children.

He added: “The Department for Education (DfE) is currently acquiring the old South Chadderton School site. We have the funds to redevelop this site.”

The sale of former secondary school sites in the borough was part of a funding package to pay for Oldham’s five new secondaries.

South Chadderton, close to the M60, is considered prime development land. But Councillor McMahon is concerned that taxpayers could lose out.

Free School applicants must identify at least two sites when they submit bids. If the proposal is approved by the DfE, the Education Funding Agency negotiates a suitable site with the local authority to agree suitable terms, which could involved buying or leasing.

One way for the council to hang on to the South Chadderton site would be to identify other suitable buildings. But if no agreement is reached, the Chronicle understands the DfE could ultimately force the council to hand over South Chadderton free, as Collective Spirit would help to plug Oldham’s shortage of 120 secondary schools places.

“As far as we are concerned the council won’t lose anything because we will see them in court over it. There is no way it is in taxpayers’ interest to write that off,” said Councillor McMahon.

“If the Government wants to do that then the Government has to pay. We will have to find that money from elsewhere and there isn’t a budget for it.”

Free schools are state-funded but outside local authority control and run by groups such as charities, religious bodies, parents and education chains.

Mr Miah added: “It makes no sense to sell existing school sites and then be left with a shortage. We know that given the choice parents want to send their children to smaller schools. We offer such a choice.”