KIRKLEES Music School is to shut three of its seven centres in a bid to save cash.

The school’s principal, Thom Meredith, has described it as a “sad day’’ for the service but says the tough decisions are vital to protect the school’s long-term future.

The service has had to find savings of £85,000 this year and the changes will come into effect from September.

“We have had to make some very difficult decisions,’’ he said. “But some areas elsewhere in the country have lost their music centres completely with all their staff made redundant.

“It is always sad to have to shut any part of a service, but we are trying to keep as much going as we possibly can. Ours is a very musical area.’’

Kirklees Music Centre runs music groups and orchestras throughout the area and teaches music in schools. The schools buy in its services.

The seven music centres operate on Thursday and Friday evenings and Saturday mornings and around 1,200 young people mainly aged between seven and 18 play in the orchestras and groups.

Kirklees Music School relies heavily on central and local government grants, but both have been cut by 10% which means the central Government grant this year is £360,000 and the local one is £270,000.

A Government grant for the Wider Opportunities scheme which means whole classes can be taught music has also been cut from £196,000 to £179,000 in Kirklees.

The seven centres have been at Mirfield Free Grammar School, Batley Salvation Army, Whitcliffe Mount School in Cleckheaton, Moldgreen County Primary School, Colne Valley High School, Holmfirth High School and Shelley College.

As a result of the restructure there will be centres for the north, south, east and west of the area.

The north will be Mirfield Free Grammar, the south Holmfirth High School, the east Shelley College and the west Colne Valley High.

The times these centres are hired will be reduced to save hire costs.

This means the centres in Batley, Cleckheaton and Moldgreen will close although some of the ensembles will play there.