THE future of a village primary school site will be decided by councillors next week.

Durham County Council’s cabinet will make a decision on whether to close the school building in Sherburn Hill.

Officers from the authority have recommended the site, which is part of Sherburn Primary School, should close on August 31.

The school has operated from two sites since an amalgamation in 2015 of Sherburn Village and Sherburn Hill primary schools.

But the council says the model is no longer financially viable in the long term because of an unexpected drop in the number of pupils at the school.

Alison Curtis, part of the Sherburn Hill Community Action Group, which was set up to save the school, said: “We were expecting it but we are very, very disappointed.

“It’s a big mistake which we think will come back and bite them because people just won’t come to live here any more. It’s going to affect so many people in so many ways.

“Who wants to live in a village which doesn’t have anything in it?”

The report, to be debated by councillors next week, says: “The council has fully considered the concerns raised by residents, but without action being taken to ensure sustainable primary education is delivered for the long term for the communities of Sherburn Hill and Sherburn Village, the life chances for children in these communities could be detrimentally affected.”

The council says the building in Front Street could be used as a community centre if it is no longer needed as a school.

Phil Hodgson, the council’s head of education, said: “We appreciate there has been great interest in the community in the plans and through both a six week public consultation in January and February, and a four week period for further feedback in March and April, we have offered the opportunity to comment on the proposal.

“All of the responses have been reviewed and none of the responses have proposed an alternative that we believe would offer viable and sustainable primary education in both communities in the long term.”

The council says it will cost £30,000 a year for the next five years to provide free home to school transport for children currently studying in Sherburn Hill.

Meanwhile, it will cost £1.1m to make improvements to the school in Sherburn Village, which will include replacing windows and improving IT facilities.

The council adds some staff may be at risk of redundancy as a result of the closure.