THE trust behind Burnley High School was approached by councillors to run the ‘struggling’ Hameldon Community College in the town, it has been revealed.

However, the county council and the school said they were unaware any approach had been made over the future running of the Coal Clough Lane school.

MORE TOP STORIES:

The Chapel Street Trust, which opened the free school in 2014, was asked if it would consider taking over the Hameldon, which is currently run by Lancashire County Council.

However the request, which was made by county councillor Tony Martin, was refused by the organisation which has said that its resources are concentrated on constructing the high school’s new building which is set to be open next year.

Cllr Martin made the request at a meeting over the future of the Gannow Community Centre.

It is understood that a request had previously been made by Hameldon Community College which was also refused.

It comes after it was revealed last month that only 40 parents applied to send their children to Hameldon, which has spaces for 150 pupils in each year, in September as their first choice compared with 60 last year.

Cllr Mark Townsend, leader of Burnley Council, said at the time that the school would have to close if nothing was done to stop the year-on-year reduction in applications.

Cllr Martin said: “The school is under some pressure and can’t attract as many pupils as it would like.

“I thought that if the trust could step in then that might save it from closure.”

Head teacher Gill Broom has said that nobody connected with the school approached the trust with any request.

A spokesman for Chapel Street Trust said: “There is no intention of taking over Hameldon Community College at this time.

“We are not ruling out expanding in the area in the future but our resources are going fully into the new Burnley High School building at the moment.”

Cllr Gordon Birtwistle, who represents the area on Burnley Council, said: “Anything that would help improve the desperate situation at the school would be a good thing and which I would fully support.

“I’m a big supporter of free schools and I would welcome any help that could be given to Hameldon.

“It has been in the news for all of the wrong reasons recently and it’s struggling and I hope that will change.

“It’s a superb facility but Lancashire County Council is failing miserably in running it at the moment.”

A spokeswoman for Lancashire County Council said: “We have not been informed of any approach and if one has been made we would expect the school to inform us.”

Mrs Broom said: “Both the chair of the governing body and I can categorically confirm that there is no truth to these claims.

“No-one from Hameldon Community College has approached the Chapel Street Trust to ask that Hameldon become part of their trust arrangements.”