Race against time to save school cash

LIB-Dem leaders have blamed Labour as they face a race against time to salvage the £230 million Building Schools for the Future project.

But Labour has hit back — accusing their political opponents of botching the scheme, putting the massive investment into local schools in jeopardy.

The political row ignited as Oldham Council chiefs were locked in talks with the Salford Diocese in a desperate bid to get plans for a new £30million Catholic high school in place before a January deadline.

They insist building the school at the Meridian Business Centre, next to Oldham bypass, is neither deliverable nor affordable and it should be built at the old Radclyffe School site, off Broadway, Chadderton, instead.

But Catholic leaders — who have endured eight months of protest from campaigners claiming the Meridian site is dangerous, polluted and too small — were determined a town centre site would be central to all and create community cohesion.

Council chiefs say they are pleased that the Diocese is working with them to progress the plans — but the Diocese has declined to comment or reveal if it will even accept the Radclyffe site.

Lib-Dem leader Councillor Howard Sykes blamed Labour for the Meridian mess.

The site is part-owned by the council, but he revealed the other owner won’t sell and Labour had not sought a Compulsory Purchase Order and there was now not enough time to do so.

In addition, it would cost up to £5million to turn a railway cutting on the site into playing fields, making the proposal too costly.

He said: “It’s just not deliverable in terms of site acquisition and cost. Labour were running the council at the time and did nothing about making sure it was deliverable.”

There has been talk of the Meridian land now being used for housing but Councillor Sykes said nothing has been decided.

Former Labour education chief Councillor Hugh McDonald insisted his party’s plans had been fully-costed and achievable.

He said a CPO had not been sought as the owner was not adverse to selling. Money to transform the railway cutting could come from the Government and would be much less than suggested because it would be filled in during the Metrolink upgrade.

He said: “Lib Dem leaders are now changing the whole scheme to mess it up. They will blame everyone apart from themselves for refusing the scheme.

“It is very difficult for children in the east of Oldham to travel to Radclyffe. The Diocese may even decide they don’t want it, then they will blame the Diocese.

“If they miss the January deadline then they can mess the whole scheme up. There’s a real risk that the £230million for Oldham schools will be lost. ”

He said an earlier decision to switch an academy in Hollinwood from Oak Colliery to Brook Mill would cost £5million —which the Lib-Dems deny — and mean less money for refurbishing other schools.

Oldham Catholic Schools Parents Association is delighted that Radclyffe has been chosen and declared it a vindication of their campaign.