Council backs new 150-pupil free school plan

A council has chosen to continue with plans to build a new school on the site of former high-rise flats.

The social, emotional and mental health needs free school in Grimsby will be built on derelict land off Albion Street and have capacity for 150 students.

North East Lincolnshire Council (NELC) voted to continue with the school plan on Wednesday instead of accepting £7m from the Department for Education (DfE) to spend on special needs provision for existing schools.

Ann-Marie Matson, director of children services at NELC, said: "This decision has taken a lot of hours, days and weeks into really thinking through what's the best outcome for our children and young people locally."

Along with the new school, NELC is expected to provide over £2m in funding to address the Environment Agency's flood risk concerns at the Albion Street site.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, a large number of children with special needs are currently placed in educational settings outside of the borough.

Councillor Margaret Cracknell, portfolio holder for children and education, said the DfE funding had been "quite a tempting offer, one might think initially".

However, she said several families "struggle to find appropriate education settings to support their children" and the planned site marked a particular need in that area.

Council leader Philip Jackson said the development would also create "skilled jobs".

Liberal Democrats councillor Steve Beasant, who represents the East Marsh, said: "As a corporate parent and chair of the corporate parenting board, this is an amazing decision.

"We can look after our children a lot better."

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