THE bitter dispute over plans for a new £25m city academy in the region intensified last night as council bosses vowed to press ahead, despite school governors rejecting the controversial scheme.

The Northern Echo revealed yesterday that Darlington Borough Council's hopes of merging the successful Hurworth School with troubled Eastbourne Comprehensive appeared to have been thrown into turmoil.

On Wednesday, Hurworth School said that, instead of forming part of an academy, it was determined to pursue foundation status which would give it greater freedom from the local authority.

Governors condemned the council for seeking to incorporate Hurworth into an academy, proposed for a site in Yarm Road, Darlington, without their consent.

Their decision represented a severe blow to the Government's flagship academy programme and was all the more embarrassing because it came from a school in Prime Minister Tony Blair's Sedgefield constituency.

Last night, council chief executive Ada Burns declared that it would be "irresponsible and wrong" to dismiss a potential £25m investment.

And, in a move that has infuriated campaigners in Hurworth, the council signalled its intent to go ahead with the academy project.

The authority said there was nothing to prevent a school with foundation status being part of such a privately-sponsored facility.

Ms Burns said: "Of course we need to think about the needs of the 200 children who live in Hurworth, but not at the expense of the needs of the 2,000 children who live in the area that would be served by an academy."

She added: "It is a complex picture and we think it would be irresponsible and wrong to say no to the possibility of a further £25m investment into education in Darlington."

But Ian Holme, of the Save Hurworth and Rural Education (Share) pressure group, said Ms Burns' response to the governors' decision was "shocking".

He said: "Given all that has gone on, they are still taking no interest at all in the views of individuals or the community as a whole."

Mr Holme added: "We will continue to fight for as long as it takes."

The topic was fiercely debated by a full Darlington Borough Council meeting last night, during which councillors branded the situation appalling, and demanded the council consider building an academy in another part of town.

Councillor Chris McEwan, cabinet member for children's services, reiterated Ms Burns' statement, and said he felt deep regret at the decision by Hurworth governors.

But Councillor Tony Richmond, leader of the Conservative opposition, criticised the way the council had dealt with the situation.

"It is true to say that since this issue of the proposed merger and academy has been made public, the council has had an appalling record in the way it has handled matters," he said.

Councillor Veronica Copeland, chairwoman of Eastbourne governors, said the school offered its "full support" to plans for an academy to replace their school.

She said: "We don't want to stay in an old, outdated building and don't want to move to Hurworth's outdated building.

"We want the technology that would enhance education and chances for young people."