Eleven major companies are bidding to help run 20 schools in Kirklees under a pilot Government initiative, it has been revealed.

Education chiefs at Kirklees Council are evaluating the bids this week before presenting a report to a joint meeting of the education and policy committees on May 5.

Greg Jennings, the Council's partnerships programme manager, said: "We can't name the companies interested at this stage but they are big companies and some have regional links.

"Some are from the construction industry, others are involved in investments, management services, some are architects practices and others are consortiums. We are very pleased that we have received such a good response and that strong companies are interested.

"A report on all 11 companies will be presented to councillors on May 5 with a recommendation on which companies should be chosen.

"A short list of three or four will be drawn up and they will be asked to prepare detailed bids with their prices and proposals.

"One company or a consortium will eventually be chosen to help run the district's schools. This decision will not be made until October or November.

"There is a lengthy process involved in evaluating all the bids to make sure we get the right company.''

The companies are bidding for a 25-year contract in return for ploughing millions of pounds into repairs to crumbling school buildings under the Private Finance Initiative.

It would mean the successful bidder forming a joint venture company with the Council for providing the cleaning, catering and maintenance services for the schools.

They include West End Middle and Whitcliffe Road First in Cleckheaton, Carlinghow Princess Royal First, Batley, and Thornhill High, Dewsbury.

Lesley Halstead, headteacher at West End Middle, said: "We are very excited about the PFI because it will mean our buildings can be brought up to a very high standard to meet the challenges of the next century.

"The main school building is more than 100 years old and has had bits added over the years which were supposed to be temporary, but which were never replaced.''

Under the PFI up to 300 cleaners, caretakers and dinner ladies may have to reapply for their jobs.

The Council workers' union Unison fears the scheme will mean redundancies, worse pay, conditions and pensions for remaining staff, schools being charged high fees for the services provided or being forced to lease school building or sell their land for profit.

But the Council says it will have a strong influence on how the company operates.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.