A SPECIAL school is in line for a major upgrade.
Kirklees Council’s cabinet will decide today whether to give the green light for the £575,000 improvements to Lydgate Special School in New Mill.
The upgrade includes building a food technology area where teenagers can learn life skills.
The school kitchen would also be refurbished as part of the plan.
And the assembly hall, kitchen and computer suite would be re-wired.
Clr Ken Smith, cabinet member for children and families, believes the investment is badly needed.
The Ashbrow Labour councillor said yesterday: “We need to go ahead with this spending and I think it will be popular with parents.”
Clr Smith added that the ageing school building on Kirkroyds Lane had to be improved.
He said: “It’s an old listed building serving a very useful purpose but, like many old school buildings, it needs improvements.”
A report to the council’s cabinet notes that money will also have to be spent to make the school compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act.
Clr Smith said: “I believe there are some areas of the school which have stairs but no lift so we’re keen to put that right.”
Kirklees has been asked to contribute £225,000 to the upgrade, with the remaining £350,000 coming from central government.
If councillors back the plan today, the improvements should be complete by early next year.
The spending looks set to go ahead at Lydgate despite the collapse of Building Schools for the Future earlier this month.
Education secretary Michael Gove scrapped the national programme, which would have seen £400m of investment to improve high schools in Kirklees.
Clr Smith said: “Central government has given us some money for Lydgate which is not affected by Building Schools for the Future.
“We still want to invest in our schools.”
Lydgate serves children aged five to 16 who have special needs including moderate and severe learning difficulties, autistic disorders and physical disabilities.
