Council to press on with £44m schools expansion

At a meeting of its executive board last night, senior councillors laid out the latest round of planned primary school expansions, which would eventually see it expand 22 schools, and add up to 660 places.

The authority is warning, however, that it still faces a massive funding gap to meet the £77m it needs to deal with the looming crisis brought on by the city’s booming birth rate.

The Local Government Association predicted this week that the number of primary school pupils in Leeds could rise to 69,641 by 2016/17. The city has capacity for just over 65,000 pupils in its primary schools, leaving a possible shortfall of just over 4,000 places.

The council has gained £8.344m of additional Government funding to help put its expansions plans in place, to add to £36m allocated last year. But Judith Blake, Leeds City Council’s executive member responsible for children’s services, said: “In overall terms, we are still tens of millions of pounds short. And we have still got a long way to go.”

She said the authority hopes to work with developers of new housing schemes to encourage them to contribute cash towards the creation of further school places.

At yesterday’s meeting of the executive board, cabinet members approved the expansion of five Leeds primary schools: Allerton Bywater, Asquith, Morley St Francis Catholic, East Ardsley and Robin Hood primary schools. They also approved initial steps to consult on the possible expansion of Pudsey Primrose Hill, and the lowering of the age range at Hollybush Primary to allow for earlier admissions.

Coun Blake said there was some “very innovative” work being done in the city to deal with the school places crisis. But she added the city’s coffers are still “woefully short” of the funds needed to cover emerging and future need.

“We know there is a need and local government is prepared to do everything it has to do to provide places,” she said.“But the Government has to take very seriously the shortfall in funding for school places.”