COUNCIL chiefs believe proposed education reforms announced last week are crucial to the regeneration of Halton.

David Parr, Halton council chief executive, said: 'There is no point creating new offices and factories if our young people cannot become the entrepreneurs and workers of tomorrow.

'We're talking about diversity of choice for parents with faith schools, local authority schools and a city academy.'

He added: 'This is about giving people who have vocational talents the same opportunities as academic pupils and creating a curriculum that is fit for everyone.

'This is also about social regeneration and is a huge opportunity that we have to grasp in partnership with business, partners, parents and schools.'

Council leader, Cllr Tony McDermott, said: 'The word 'transform' is used too often, but this really will be a transformation.

'This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to change education in the borough for the better.'

Cllr Tom McInerney, executive board member for children and young people, said that keeping things the same was not an option.

He said: 'This is absolutely radical. If we don't change we don't get the Government investment.'

Consultation dates

CONSULTATION meetings will be held with staff, governors and parents from the secondary school and the feeder schools.

Please check with the school for the exact time of the meetings.

* June 18/19 St Chad's Catholic High Wade Deacon High

* June 20/21 St Peter & Paul Catholic College The Heath Specialist Technical College

* July 4/5 Halton High The Bankfield

* July 9/10 Ashley Chesnut Lodge

Consultations have already taken place at Fairfield High, Cavendish Special School and The Grange Comprehensive.

The plans

SECONDARY schools in Widnes will be reduced from six sites to three - at Bankfield, Wade Deacon and St Peter and Paul's.

* Bankfield: A redesigned school on the current site will cater for 1,050 pupils.

* Chesnut Lodge: The special school, which has 50 places for pupils aged 2-16, will be rebuilt on the Bankfield site.

* Wade Deacon and Fairfield High: The schools will form an alliance until new facilities are built which will house 1,350 pupils at Wade Deacon.

* Ashley: Currently with 120 places for pupils aged 11-16, the special school will be relocated to the Wade Deacon site.

* Saints Peter and Paul Catholic College: The number of pupils will reduce by 10%. Its buildings and facilities will be enhanced.

Within Runcorn it is the philosophy of secondary education that will change more than the physical structure.

* Halton High: A specialist academy will be developed, housing 1,050 pupils aged 11-16 and 100 pupils post-16.

* St Chad's Catholic High: A joint Anglican/Roman Catholic school based at St Chad's has been proposed by the directors of education for the dioceses of Chester and Shrewsbury. The school would increase by around a third.

* The Heath Specialist Technical College and The Grange Comprehensive: The schools will be federated and The Heath will be remodelled before The Grange is closed.

* Cavendish: The special school will receive significant investment.

* The Bridge KS3 Pupil Referral Unit: Further investment.

A joint headteachers' statement said: 'Halton secondary and secondary special headteachers welcome the opportunity Building Schools for the Future offers to transform secondary education within the borough through investment in state-of-the-art secondary buildings and technology.'

Secondary schools in detail

THE BANKFIELD SCHOOL Liverpool Road, Widnes Pupils: 867 (planned admission: 890) Sept 2007 intake: 125 Specialist status: Science Ofsted (2007): Good

FAIRFIELD HIGH Peel House Lane, Widnes Pupils: 812 (1,160)Sept 2007 intake: 100 Specialist status: Arts college Ofsted (2006): Satisfactory

HALTON HIGH Barnfield Avenue, Runcorn Pupils: 564 (900) Sept 2007 intake: 97 Specialist status: None Ofsted (2005): Satisfactory

SAINTS PETER AND PAUL CATHOLIC COLLEGE Highfield Road, Widnes Pupils: 1,610 (1,445) Sept 2007 intake: 271 Specialist status: Sports college Ofsted (2002): Good

ST CHAD'S CATHOLIC HIGH Grangeway, Halton Lodge Pupils: 907 (870) Sept 2007 intake: 155 Specialist status: Language college Ofsted (2006): Good

THE GRANGE COMPREHENSIVE Latham Avenue, Runcorn Pupils: 1,072 (1,050) Sept 2007 intake: 175 Specialist status: None Ofsted (2006): Inadequate

THE HEATH SPECIALIST TECHNICAL COLLEGE Clifton Road, Runcorn Pupils: 1,048 (1,050) Sept 2007 intake: 210 Specialist status: Technology college Ofsted (2002): Good

WADE DEACON HIGH Birchfield Road, Widnes Pupils: 1,123 (1,125) Sept 2007 intake: 229 Specialist status: Technology college Ofsted (2007): Good

PUPIL REFERRAL UNIT THE BRIDGE SCHOOL (KS3 PUPIL REFERRAL UNIT) Chadwick Road, Runcorn Pupils: 33 (aged 11-14) Ofsted (2006): Good

SPECIAL SCHOOLS CHESTNUT LODGE Green Lane, Widnes Pupils: 69 (aged 2-16) Community Special School Ofsted (2005): Good

ASHLEY Cawfield Avenue, Widnes Pupils: 125 (aged 11-16) Community Special School Ofsted (2004): Very good

CAVENDISH Lincoln Close, Runcorn Pupils: 77 (aged 2-19) Community Special School Ofsted (2005): Very good