A CAMPAIGN set up by parents to start an independent “free school” in York has officially ended after the Government rejected the application.

The idea would have seen parents set up a state-funded school in Holgate with funds coming from central Government, rather than the local authority, and would have been independent of local council control, with a board of parents and governors setting the curriculum and running the school.

Tim Moat, who led the calls for a free school in York since its launch last year, sent a message to all supporters of the scheme to announce the end of the campaign. He said: “Our revised application to set up the Lindley Murray School, submitted in June, has been rejected by the government.

“This is disappointing, but not entirely unexpected. Some 227 applications for mainstream schools were submitted for a 2012 opening and as we all know public money is currently in short supply.”

He said: “I think, ultimately, the question was ‘if the free school in York does not go ahead, will any children in the area suffer?’ To which the answer, truthfully, is that they would not. The same cannot be said of some areas. This, therefore, is the end of the campaign.”

Councillor Ruth Potter, cabinet member for education, children and young people’s services, said the decision to close the campaign was the right one.

Coun Potter said: “The children in this area won’t suffer at all because there is not going to be a free school.

“This is not the first time an application has been put in. I was quite surprised that they tried again because nothing had changed and there is the issue of where you would put it.

“The reason the application was turned down by the Government was because all the schools in York are good schools.

“I think our message to parents would be that York has an excellent set of schools and the majority of parents get their first choice so I would say parents and children won’t suffer.”