Saddleworth Councillors Garth Harkness and Sam Al-Hamdani have expressed concerns about being kept in the dark about Saddleworth School.

This follows a rumour that had circulated that the land sale at Uppermill would not now go ahead.

Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani said: “We need to know what is going to happen to the Uppermill site that currently occupies Saddleworth School and the rumours appear to contradict what we have been told. If so, we have either been misled or something substantial has changed and we need to know why?”

Councillor Garth Harkness said: “We were told that the land sale in Uppermill was required to help fund a new school and highways work in Diggle. We have asked to be kept informed and involved throughout and are disappointed to be kept in the dark about this.

Any documents relating to this have not been made available. If this land is now not being sold, then does this now put the building of the school at risk?

“We are desperate for a new Saddleworth school and we need to know that the school will still go ahead. We want to know what the existing site will be used for now, and how it will be used to benefit the community, for example, to house a new health centre.”