Schools for future deal signed (From Leigh Journal)

Schools for future deal signed

11:33am Wednesday 16th December 2009 in

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THE dream to provide 21st century schools for Leigh and Wigan has come true with the financial and programme deal now signed, sealed and delivered.

The ‘financial close’ stage for Wigan Schools for the Future (WSF) means that the council and its partners are now signed up to an agreement that identifies the long-term providers of the programme and secures the building of the first phase of the Wigan proposals.

At the last meeting Wigan Council’s ruling cabinet agreed to a proposal to transform Atherton’s Hesketh Fletcher High School into a new 14 to 19 centre along with plans to improve and expand facilities at Westleigh High and Bedford High schools.

The other proposals included in phase one of the multi-million pound programme concentrate on creating a new campus on the site of Lowton Civic Hall to replace the existing Lowton and Golborne High Schools and Lowton Junior and Infants’ School. A new school will also be provided for Hindley High.

The entire project will rolled out in three phases with a planned completion date of September 2012 for the Phase 1 schemes.

Cabinet Champion for Children and Young People’s Services, Cllr Susan Loudon said: “From the very beginning we have been committed to making the most of this opportunity and providing a fantastic modern standard of education in world-class facilities for our children and young people.” The new agreement confirms that Wigan and Salford Councils, who have joined forces to deliver the programme, will work with their private sector partner, the Transformational Learning Partnership and BSF Investments to deliver the project.

The cross-boundary partnership is the first of its kind in the North-west.

Tim Byles, Chief Executive of Partnerships for Schools, the government agency responsible for delivering the BSF programme, said: “I am delighted that Salford and Wigan have reached financial close - as one of only a handful of joint Local Education Partnerships, reaching this milestone is a testament to the successes of the close partnership working.”