A CITY academy is now an official goal for East Cleveland.

Councillors have agreed to start work towards creating an academy for secondary education - but already there are rumblings of discontent.

An independent member of Redcar and Cleveland council says the authority should come clean about where the new academy might be sited.

Council leader Coun David Walsh says no decisions have been taken on location.

But Coun Steve Kay claims Brotton has been earmarked. He says this would spell the end of secondary education in Skelton and Loftus.

Parents have already showed overwhelming support for the academy.

Throughout the summer, parents of youngsters at Freebrough community college went to meetings to discuss the scheme.

The academy could replace Freebrough, created to solve falling school rolls at Warsett in Brotton, De Brus in Skelton and Rosecroft in Loftus.

At a special meeting of the council executive last Friday, acting education director George McQueen said the Freebrough governors backed the academy idea.

The governors said: "It is a once in a lifetime opportunity which we desperately need. It will change the culture of East Cleveland."

Mr McQueen said teachers were worried about the future for jobs in an academy and wanted conditions of service to be observed.

He also pointed out an academy would not be managed by the LEA but by a partnership with sponsorship.

Up to £15m will be on the table to improve the life opportunities for people in East Cleveland, said Mr McQueen.

Lead councillor for education Coun Ian Jeffrey said: "The young people are gripped with enthusiasm about what an academy might bring and the issue of travel to the site has not been uppermost."

He said that, contrary to rumours, no decisions had been made about where the academy will be.

Coun Keith Pudney referred to comments from the head teacher of Huntcliff school in Saltburn concerning the possible implications of an academy.

"If there is competition, raise the game," he said. "This could be a challenge to other schools to do just that.

"Anything which lifts aspirations and attainment levels will benefit the whole borough because for far too long we have had low levels of attainment and this has bedevilled progress."

Coun Walsh said: "We must ensure information flows into the community as to the scheme's progress. We don't want the rumour mill to start working."

Proposing a recommendation to start the scheme, he also moved the council retained a representative on the governing board and that the teachers' professional association be represented.

Conservative Group leader Coun Vera Moody welcomed the decision.

"It is what the people are looking for," she said. "We wish the scheme every success."

But Coun Kay said: "The official line is no site has been decided on but the game has been given away.

"A piece of land at Brotton was ringed on a map at one of the meetings at Warsett School. It puzzled me at the time and I have not been contradicted when asking about it.

"The council should come clean over this. Tell us all if the academy is going to be in Brotton. Parents are not clear what they are being consulted on and siting is the key factor in this.

"But if it does go to Brotton, secondary education will be lost to Skelton and Loftus.