PLANS to build four new schools in York through private funding will move a step closer when education chiefs select a bidder later this month.

Officers have recommended that Sewell PFI should be given the job of building and maintaining the schools and it will be up to councillors to agree to this.

One of the schools will be built on the site of St Oswald's School, Fulford, and another is to be created in the grounds of St Barnabas School in Leeman Road.

Two other schools will be built at the site of Hob Moor; one of these will be for children with special educational needs.

Plans from the three shortlisted bidders were displayed at each school in September and at local ward committee meetings.

Head teachers, governors and parents were able to make comments on the designs which were displayed in schools.

In October, head teachers and governors visited schools run by the two front-running consortia, allowing them to see the standard of schools and assess how they were being maintained.

The selection was also based on a complex evaluation process by the project advisors.

Damon Copperthwaite, York Schools PFI project manager, said the quality of the bids had been generally good.

He said: "The current market in PFI projects is now starting to mature and there is a more cautious approach being taken by bidders.

"In comparison with other councils who are currently seeking bidders for similar projects the council has done well to receive three well prepared bids from three committed bidders."

The director of education at the City of York Council, Patrick Scott, said: "This has been a long and complex project and we are delighted to be in a position to select the council's preferred bidder.

"I would like to thank all the shortlisted bidders who put a great deal of time and effort into preparing their submissions."

The PFI scheme works like a mortgage whereby the schools are funded using money from private companies which is then paid off over a number of years.

The meeting to decide on the bidder will take place at the Guildhall, on Tuesday, at 2pm.

Updated: 08:48 Thursday, November 13, 2003