A proposal to relocate a Wirral special needs school to a new site looks set to be approved tonight.

Gilbrook Special School, which has 50 primary pupils with emotional and behavioural issues, will move to the former site of Arrowe Hill Primary School, which closed last August due to falling pupil numbers under Wirral Council's Primary Places Review.

A report by children's services director Howard Cooper to tonight's meeting of the council's cabinet says relocating to the Arrowe Hill building would increase space available to Gilbrook by a third.

And although the school would no longer have access to the Woodchurch Sports Barn, the total area available to pupils would triple, including a substantial increase in hard and soft play area.

A statutory consultation period ended on November 25, 2009.

During this time, Mr Cooper received no written comments in relation to the proposal.

His report states: "This is not entirely unexpected, since the proposal had received strong support from staff, governors and parents of pupils at Gilbrook School."

He recommends that councillors approve the scheme.

THE GLOBE

UPDATED:


A proposal to relocate a Wirral special needs school to a new site was approved by the council's ruling cabinet last night.

Gilbrook Special School, which has 50 primary pupils with emotional and behavioural issues, will move to the former site of Arrowe Hill Primary School, which closed last August due to falling pupil numbers under Wirral Council's Primary Places Review.

A report by children's services director Howard Cooper says relocating to the Arrowe Hill building would increase space available to Gilbrook by a third.

And although the school would no longer have access to the Gilbrook Sports Barn, the total area available to pupils would triple, including a substantial increase in hard and soft play area.

A statutory consultation period ended on November 25, 2009.

During this time, Mr Cooper received no written comments in relation to the proposal.

His report states: "This is not entirely unexpected, since the proposal had received strong support from staff, governors and parents of pupils at Gilbrook School."

THE GLOBE