IMPROVEMENTS costing nearly half a million pounds could be carried out at Little Hulton Community School if ambitious plans receive financial backing. The programme includes general repairs, new cloakrooms and better community facilities. These are scheduled to start in March next year. Already the school is a pioneer in developing combined school/community facilities and was one of the first schools in the region to have classes for parents as well as children.

On top of the latest batch of planned improvements, ambitious plans have been mooted to build a new maths and technology block, and - if a lottery bid is successful - a new sports hall.

Area co-ordinator Bruce Jassi, from Salford Council, said much of the money to cover the cost of the improvements would come from the successful recent Capital Challenge bid.

This bid to the former Tory government gave the council access to more than £7 million towards capital improvements in the Little Hulton area.

In addition, the area, along with Farnworth, successfully bid for a £71 million long-term scheme designed to breathe new life into the two districts.

The government contribution is in the form of an £11 million injection from its Single Regeneration Budget. The scheme is also expected to attract £60 million from the private sector.

Mr Jassi said that initially the plan was merely to refurbish the timber maths and technology block at the school, which is frequently used as a meeting room by community groups. But after a detailed survey it was decided that a completely new building would be a better long term option.

He said: "We will be looking at all the options open to us and once plans have been formulated there will be a full consultation with the headteacher and governors.

"If all the schemes we have planned get the go ahead we will have a first class community school in Little Hulton."

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