SHEFFIELD Council leader Jan Wilson has called on warring parents to unite and work to achieve the best possible school for their children - after the merger of Wisewood and Myers Grove secondaries was finally approved.
In the wake of Wednesday's vote to close both schools and open a new £20 million facility on the Myers site in Stannington, in 2011, Coun Wilson said: "It was a very painful debate and, clearly, it was not possible to meet the aspirations of two diff
erent communities.
"But the council had to take on what it felt was the best position for everybody.
"I hope it will be possible for people to now start working together so we can get the best possible school for the children of the future."
Coun Wilson said the authority would have preferred to build the new school on a neutral site so it could not be accused of simply closing Wisewood and rebuilding Myers - however, no suitable land could be found.
But she insisted: "It will still be a new school for both communities."
Coun Wilson added she would have been "horrified" if Sheffield's £250 million allocation from the Government's Building Schools for the Future grants - which was on hold pending the resolution of the Wisewood and Myers issue - had been put at risk.
The money is being used to rebuild 13 other schools but the council was warned that failure to axe surplus school places in north west Sheffield would jeopardise the investment.
"It would have been an enormous price to pay for those other communities," Coun Wilson said.
Since the merger was first proposed, parents of children at Wisewood, Myers and feeder primary schools have largely been split into two camps.
Save Our Community Schools - backed by a number of Wisewood parents - remains opposed to merger and hopes to halt the move through judicial review.
The merger was backed by many Myers parents, who formed a Parents' Action Group supporting the move.
The council wants to run the replacement facility as either a local authority school or work with a partner organisation to develop a trust school.
Officers are to meet with Wisewood and Myers Grove governors to hear their views on what type of school should be provided.
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