A long-awaited Radcliffe secondary school will open with temporary accommodation next year, councillors have said after a government meeting.

The leader of the Bury Conservatives, Cllr Russell Bernstein, has told the Bury Times he met with the Department for Education (DfE) along with political group deputy leader, Cllr Jo Lancaster, and Bury North MP James Daly.

The councillors say that the school, called Star Leadership Academy, will be open for the start of the September 2024 term but will require temporary accommodation while building work is completed.

The new school will form part of Star Academies, a multi-academy Trust based in Blackburn. 

The council has previously revealed that the DfE has experienced "significant challenges" in delivering its school building programmes.

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Strategic lead for education, Paul Cooke, told the Radcliffe regeneration cabinet earlier this month that these delays meant “it would not be possible to open the school in 2024 in it’s new building” and that it is developing a plan to arrange for temporary accommodation.

The DfE confirmed it recently met with Mr Daly, Cllr Bernstein and Cllr Lancaster regarding Star Leadership Academy and is working with the local authority and the trust to look at a potential of opening date of September 2024.

In a statement, Cllr Lancaster also criticised a column written by Bury South MP Christian Wakeford for the Bury Times in which he accused the government of "dragging their feet" over the opening of the school.

She said: “I am somewhat surprised by the claims made by Christian Wakeford in the Bury Times, which highlight how out of touch he is with this matter or how he determined he is to play politics with Children’s educational futures.

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“On Wednesday, February 15, James Daly, Cllr Bernstein and I attended a meeting with officials from the DfE, who were able to confirm that the Radcliffe School will open in September 2024 with temporary accommodation for the first half term.

“I would like to thank James Daly for arranging this meeting which provides the clarity and reassurance I believe the people of Radcliffe will want.”

Mr Daly said: “A new secondary school for Radcliffe will be delivered by this government, as promised and I am delighted that children will be able to attend from September 2024.

"I have held meetings recently with the Schools Minister Nick Gibb and with the DfE, the latter confirming the proposed opening date.

"The new school will provide families in Radcliffe with a fantastic educational facility and I am very pleased that Star Academies are partnering with the DfE, Star are one of the country’s leading free school providers.

"This school is being built by a Conservative government that is committed to levelling up our Northern towns and cities.”

A spokesperson for Star Academies said: “We are continuing to work closely with the local authority and the Department for Education, and we remain committed to opening the school, in temporary accommodation, in September 2024.

"More detailed plans will be set out in due course.”

A spokesperson for Bury South MP Christian Wakeford said he had not heard from the DfE but that he attends regular meetings with the council and Star Academies to discuss the school's progress.