£5m school on way – but who will run it?

A NEW £5m primary school will finally be built on Hull's Kingswood estate – but no one knows who will be running it yet.

When first proposed 15 years ago, the development was to

have had its own schools, medical provision, community facilities and a new link road to ease congestion.

The link road still hasn't been built, but the development company, Kings Park Development Corporation, has agreed to bring forward the transfer of the site for the school to Hull Council, together with the sum of 3.7m.

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A meeting of Hull's Cabinet next week will decide whether to approve publishing a notice inviting interested parties to bring forward proposals for setting up the new school, which can accommodate up to 315 pupils.

Council leader Carl Minns, who has represented the ward since 2002, said: "This is the first stage to getting a new school which will be up and running in two to three years."

Because of previous Government rules the running of the school has to be opened up to competition.

Coun Minns said: "You can guarantee it will be a community school, but it could be an academy, a foundation trusts school – it could be other people coming out of the left field."

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He added: "I think the rules are fairly arcane and crazy. It's just a bit bizarre. If the vote is passed on Monday no one will know who is running it."

Interested parties have to be given at least four months to prepare their proposals.

A report to the meeting from the portfolio holder Coun Rick Welton said there was a "clear need" for the facility, and the school would be part of the proposed village centre "thereby promoting sustainable living and meeting the needs of existing and future residents".

A new GP's surgery opened recently and a health centre is planned on land, behind the Kingswood pub.

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