Under threat Linton First School has a minimum capacity for 40 pupils, yet only 23 pupils are on roll meaning it has 42 per cent of surplus places. In addition its old buildings are in poor state of repair with a backlog of repairs estimated at over £170,000. The revenue cost per pupil is £5,303 against a County average of £2,234. If the school is closed, Ellington First School is just three miles away. Coulson Park First School has a capacity of 240 places but only 190 pupils are taught there this means 21 per cent surplus places. It is one of five schools in East Ashington, but the school building is in poor condition with a repair backlog estimated at £250,000. Ashington Alexandra Middle School has a pupil capacity of 266 yet has only 204 on roll with 23 per cent surplus. Again its buildings are in poor condition with a repairs backlog estimated at £225,000. It has no soft play area and suffers from revenue costs much higher than other Ashington Middle Schools. The Council may consider a modest expansion of nearby Seaton Hirst Middle School. "The Council has a duty to provide sufficient school places for every child," says Dr Lindsey Davies, Director of Education. "But Northumberland continues to maintain one of the highest levels of surplus places in the country, with wide differences across the County. "We have a large number of schools relative to the total school population and in consequence the cost of operating the school network is disproportionately high." Jim Wright, Executive Member for Children's Services added: "Here in Northumberland we have a commitment to education and lifelong learning. "We also have a duty to every Council Tax paying resident and every child in Northumberland to develop a strategy to address the surplus places in our schools and the consequent drain on our limited funds. "Our task begins in Ashington and we then plan to roll out the programme across the County." Evening Chronicle comment | 
