THE future of the Oaken Grove Primary School building in Haxby, York, is to be debated by councillors by the end of this year.

The school is to close next summer, due to falling pupil numbers in the area, and City of York councillors will have to decide whether to keep the building and use it for other community facilities or whether to sell it.

A report outlining various options is being prepared by council property consultant Philip Callow, which is expected to be made public in November.

Three groups who use the Oaken Grove building have all been assured by the council they will be found premises in Haxby whatever happens.

Haxby Youth Centre has used purpose-built premises on the site for 25 years which are used every night of the week for groups of children of different ages.

Eddie Benson, chairman of Haxby and Wigginton Youth and Community Association, which manages the staffing of the centre, said they wanted to stay on the site.

"Our current problem is that there aren't any other options," he said.

"The Memorial Hall is already busy with other groups and isn't really adequate for the needs of youth groups. We are working closely with the City of York Council to see how we might be able to utilise the site."

The Pearl Kids' Club, an out-of-school club used by Oaken Grove and Ralph Butterfield Primary School children, and the Rising Fives group, hope that if the Oaken Grove building is sold, the council will pay for an extension at nearby Ralph Butterfield.

Patricia Tiney, treasurer of the Pearl Kids' Club, said: "We are working closely with the head teacher at Ralph Butterfield and we're hoping that pending an extension being built we will be able to move in there with the Rising Fives group.

"Obviously we all feel that if the site is sold, a certain proportion of that must go back into education and must go back locally."

Meanwhile, arrangements are being made for children now at Oaken Grove to be given places at their preferred school of the other three primaries in the area - Headlands, Ralph Butterfield and Wigginton Primaries - or any other York primary school.

Head teacher David Metcalfe said: "The four Haxby and Wigginton schools are working very closely together to ensure that the detail of the planned transitional arrangements run smoothly through this final academic year.

Updated: 11:20 Monday, September 24, 2001