A UNIVERSITY is proposing to open a new secondary school to help meet the need for school places.

Brighton and Hove City Council's the Policy and Resources Committee on Thursday will consider proposals by the University of Brighton to open a new free school in the city.

Free schools are not controlled by the local authority but the report reads the university "felt very strongly that there should be a definitive in principle signal of support from the Council for the proposed school and for the University's sponsorship arrangements". 

Council officers recommended the authority "informs the University of Brighton of its in principle support".

More details are expected later today. 

The report concludes: "There is a need for new secondary school places in the city and currently any new school must be developed through the academy or free school routes. The lead time for developing a new secondary school is rarely less than three years.

"The University of Brighton has a strong track record of developing academies and would be well placed to transfer this expertise to the development of a free school, which in legal terms is an academy.

"It is therefore recommended that the Committee welcomes the university’s proposal to submit a secondary free school application and declares its in principle support for it." 

Labour released a statement in support of the plans earlier today.

Labour Lead Councillor for Education Councillor Anne Pissaridou said: “We have been saying for years that the Greens needed to do something about the urgent need for a new secondary school. They pledged in their manifesto to build one but ideology has stopped them.

"Now at the very last minute before the local elections they have done a dramatic u-turn and said they are in favour of setting up a new free school run by the University of Brighton, something their hard-line supporters will find difficult to swallow.”

“Labour has said that its preferred option would be a new secondary built and run by the city council under new powers that would be granted by the incoming Labour government.

"However the need is urgent so we will not obstruct this plan going forward with a non-for-profit education sector sponsor.

"The needs of pupils and their families must come first and we will work with the University after May if elected to deliver a new school as soon as possible.”

The plans will be discussed at the meeting on March 19. 

Chair of the Children & Young People Committee, Cll Sue Shanks said: “This year the majority of our secondary schools still have places available.  As Cllr Pissaridou knows very well, because she is on the cross-party schools working group, we will not need extra secondary school places until 2017/18.  

"While our national Green policy, and local preference, would be to see an additional secondary school run by the local authority, unfortunately under the current legislation this is not possible. It’s unhelpful for Labour to play party politics with this issue.

"The need for, and our legal duty to, provide school places is our primary consideration and so we are getting on with this within the constraints laid down by government.

"We welcome the University of Brighton’s proposal to run a Free School in partnership with us and we consider that they are an excellent educational provider in the city.

"This approach offers the most practical way forward for addressing the longer term need for extra secondary school places. We welcome the recently announced government funding for this school and we look forward to announcing the site for it shortly.”