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Merger plan for schools a 'done deal'
By Lucy Ashton Political Editor PLANS for a new enterprise centre in Sheffield reveal controversial merger proposals for two city schools are already a "done deal," councillors claim.
Two new enterprise centres, designed for 14 to 19-year-olds, will open in Sheffield to help young people become the next generation of business leaders.
The 14 million centres are believed to be the first of their kind in the country.
One will be based on a greenfield site on Beighton Road, Woodhouse, with building due to begin in 2008.
The other is planned for the former Wisewood School site from 2011, but the council says that depends on controversial plans to merge Wisewood and Myers Grove secondaries getting the green light.
But the Lib Dems claim it is another indication the schools merger was already a foregone conclusion. Lib Dems leader Coun Paul Scriven said: "We welcome these centres but the concern is that the Wisewood site has been identified.
"It's becoming clear that the closure of Wisewood school to facilitate the enterprise centre is already a done deal.
"I have a memo from officers which confirms that no other sites have been considered for this centre."
But Labour said claims of a done deal were "complete nonsense."
Coun Harry Harpham, cabinet member for children's services, said: "The proposal for the Wisewood and Myers Grove merger is due to be decided within six months but the enterprise centre is not due to open for another five years.
"So if the schools merger does not go ahead, we still have years to identify another site in the north west of the city.
"This is not a done deal. If the centre does not go on the Wisewood site, there are plenty of other sites and plenty of time to identify one."
The centres will have 250 places apiece for students who want to take a new series of job-related diploma courses, initially covering areas such as IT, creative media, construction, and health and social care.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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