A PLEDGE of support for a school and community building venture became a reality when parish councillors handed over £16,666 towards the cost of work.

Huntington School in York is closing in on its £800,000 target to help fund the demolition of mobile classrooms and the building of new teaching areas, a performing arts studio, music rooms and a youth centre.

The gift, from Huntington Parish Council, is the first of three instalments, amounting to £50,000, over three years for the project.

The school has also secured £2.6 million of Government cash and £1.5 million from City of York Council for the work which is due to begin later this year.

Parish council chairman Peter Vaughan said councillors "were hugely impressed with the school's plans and were absolutely determined to do all they could to help the school realise its ambition".

He said: "The parish council has tax raising powers for the benefit of the community. We decide each year how much money we want to raise and what we are going to spend it on, like providing free bus fares for pensioners and helping the Citizen's Advice Bureau and Age Concern.

"This year the precept is about £80,000. We decided the Huntington School venture was a one-off project and needed support."

Welcoming the donation, head teacher, Chris Bridge said: "From the very early stages of the project we were determined to produce a facility for both the school and community which was likely to cost more than funding allowed for. We are trying to raise £800,000 and know that we now have available about £560,000, so this gives us a big boost.

"The building will contain a new youth club, dance, drama, music, sports and social facilities which will all be open to the community, so a large number of people will benefit when it opens in early 2007.

"Support from the parish council in 1997/8 also enabled us to create the all-weather pitch and we are fortunate to be able to work with such a positive council."

John Oakley, the project manager, said the school was creating a database of potential users of the specialist spaces being created.

He said: "We intend to make these top grade facilities available to the community five or six evenings a week, during weekends and holidays. We want it to be used for the benefit of local people rather than standing empty after school."

Any group interested in being included in the list should phone the school on 01904 752100.

Updated: 10:20 Thursday, May 12, 2005