BOLTON may get one of the country's first council-run schools - built with private cash.

Council chiefs have put together an ambitious £4 million scheme at Castle Hill in the Tonge Moor area.

It would include a primary school, a youth club, a library, a teacher training centre and other school support services.

The idea is that it would be funded through the new private finance initiative which the Government now favours for new-build schemes.

A developer would build it, then the council would have to lease it back and would be in charge of running it.

It would be one of the first schemes of its type in the country.

Steve Arnfield, Bolton Council's Director of Finance, said: "It is a very exciting development.

"It is true that this is more expensive way of building a school than doing it ourselves.

"But the fact is that, now, this is the only way the Government will allow us to build one"

A report was due to go to the council's policy sub committee today which asks councillors to agree to the scheme in principle.

Councillors will also be asked to approve a bid for a grant to cover consultancy work on the scheme.

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