Meridian school site ‘never realistic’

COUNCIL leader Howard Sykes

Aborted plans to use the Meridian Centre for a new Catholic secondary school have been called a disgrace by Oldham’s Liberal Democrat council leader Howard Sykes.

The Chronicle reported last week how the plans for the school were drawn up for land the then-Labour-run council did not own, driven by a management team which was too small and a partnership board which was too big.

In December, Oldham Council felt that it was a matter of such importance that it instructed the Audit Committee to investigate, and the findings were reported earlier this month.

Councillor Sykes said: “When we took control of the council in May, last year, we soon became concerned about the proposals. We were convinced the scheme wasn’t deliverable — and suspected most strongly that it never had been.

“As we suspected, this site was never a realistic proposition.

“The amount of unnecessary anxiety, anger and angst this so-called proposal has caused is nothing short of a disgrace.

“The previous regime should hang its head in shame.

“What matters now is to ensure delivery on our exciting plans to transform secondary education and improve educational achievement for all our children via our Building Schools for the Future proposals.”