PROTRACTED negotiations over ownership of its buildings and land are delaying the conversion of Haydon Bridge High School to an academy, it emerged this week.

The freehold remains in the possession of the defunct North Pennine Learning Partnership (NPLP) – a legacy of its former responsibility for development of Haydon Bridge High, Bellingham Middle, Bellingham First, Allendale Middle, and Samuel Kings School, in Alston.

But even though the trust no longer operates at any of the schools, it is proving the stumbling block in completing the takeover of the Haydon Bridge school by the Bright Tribe academy trust.

As well as retaining ownership of the main school site, NPLP also still has the lease for the school’s boarding wing at Ridley Hall.

Prompted by repeated questions over the reasons for the delay in completing the academy conversion, Haydon Bridge governors this week released a statement.

They confirmed conversion, which has been in the offing since a damning Ofsted report placed the school in special measures in 2014, was being held up by complex negotiations over the transfer of the freehold of the main school site and the Ridley Hall lease.

They said discussions with NPLP were being conducted by the Department for Education and lawyers representing Northumberand County council.

“All parties recognise that these issues need to be solved in a timely manner and further meetings, including with the DfE, are scheduled for the very near future, so a mutual solution can be agreed,” the statement read.

NPFP trustee Ed Brown, a former chairman of governors at Haydon Bridge, insisted that although the partnership was inactive, it had not been officially dissolved.

“Northumberland County Council has been in contact with the partnership, and we are happy to release the land and assets once Bright Tribe or other representatives of the school are ready to speak to us,” he said.

In response, Bright Tribe said it was committed to the sponsorship of both Haydon Bridge High School and Haltwhistle Community Campus. It said the delays were due to reasons beyond its control.