CALLS have been renewed for greater investment in a Pendle school.

The area’s MP, Andrew Stephenson, has called for more investment in Park High School in Colne after a £6 million bid to central government was rejected in January.

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He said that since Labour took control of the county council in 2013, Pendle has been overlooked.

County councillor Azhar Ali, member for Nelson South and Labour’s prospective parliamentary candidate for the borough, criticised Mr Stephenson’s stance.

Mr Stephenson said: “Park High approached me a couple of years ago as they had various problems such as poor heating and leaky roofs and they asked me to help secure additional funding for a refurbishment project.

“I am hopeful of securing funding for Park High because it needs it desperately. The rejected bid from the county council to central government was £6 million and I hope that amount of money can be spent on the school over the coming years.

“The Building Schools For The Future programme was scrapped as it was allowing private firms to build new schools and for the government to have to pay huge sums back over a very long time. It was unsustainable and it was right that it was scrapped.

“While we might not get £6 million in one go for Park High, I hope that in the interim the county council continue to press for greater funds for the school.”

Cllr Ali said: “The council submitted the bid for Park High but Mr Stephenson did not support it and the government rejected it. He supported cutting the council’s budget so he is being cheeky to suggest that we are not doing all we can. We were only allowed to prioritise one school. We chose Park High but the bid was rejected.”

In the Commons, William Hague — leader of the house — said: “Since 2011, we have allocated £112 million for the improvement and maintenance of schools in Lancashire, and we have recently announced a further £23.8 million for the coming year, so Pendle ought to have its fair share.”