COUNCIL bosses last night confirmed proposals to close the two schools involved in Britain's first education federation - and replace them in a multi-million pound project.

The Northern Echo can reveal that governors are considering plans to shut top-performing Hurworth School and struggling Eastbourne Comprehensive, in Darlington.

If plans are approved, a new school, taking pupils from both existing sites, would be built on council-owned land at the top of Yarm Road, on the edge of the town.

It would be known as Hurworth School and would accommodate about 1,200 pupils.

Darlington Borough Council bosses last night hailed the plans as a "wonderful chance to raise standards and improve learning opportunities" for generations to come.

But critics in Hurworth said the development would strip away a huge part of the village's identity.

The announcement comes a month after Eastbourne was thrown into turmoil by a damning audit report, which led to the suspension of its headteacher, Karen Pemberton.

An investigation into "concerns around the management of the school" is still being carried out by town hall officials.

That inquiry was launched only weeks after it was announced that the federation would be coming to an end a year early because it had been so successful in raising achievement at both schools.

The link-up had been heralded as a pioneering project by ministers, who were keen to promote collaboration between schools instead of competition.

It was launched in 2003, soon after Eastbourne had been placed into the special measures category by Ofsted inspectors.

The Hurworth School board of governors is due to consider the proposals next Friday.

If the board gives its backing, Hurworth would effectively take over Eastbourne School and the new school be built on land next to Alderman Tommy Crooks Park, subject to planning permission.

The Government has guaranteed £20m for a new secondary school in Darlington by 2011 at the latest.

Council bosses are lobbying for the cash to be released earlier and are hopeful of getting a decision from the Department for Education and Skills by the end of the year.

Margaret Asquith, director of children's services, said the new school would help deal with falling pupil numbers across Darlington. Numbers have fallen so dramatically that the council believes it will have one secondary school too many by 2008 and two by 2010.

Eastbourne's acting headteacher, Eammon Farrar, said the new school would be run by present Hurworth staff, plus some from Eastbourne.

Dean Judson, headteacher of Hurworth School, said: "The governors still have to discuss these proposals, but I am excited about this fabulous opportunity."

However, councillor Peter Foster, who represents Hurworth on the borough council, accused the authority of waiting until after the General Election to deliver the news.

He said: "It's no coincidence that it's all been done after the election is over. They have known all along they were going to do this.

"Calling it Hurworth School is just adding insult to injury. It's going to be nowhere near Hurworth - it's ridiculous."