Proposals have been drawn up to replace two Hitchin primary schools with a new one, in a bid to reduce the number of empty desks.

Purwell Primary and Mary Exton JMI – which are just 0.7miles apart – could take a combined total of 420 pupils.

But currently 214 of those places – that's more than half – are unfilled. And each of the schools has just eight pupils in their Reception classes.

Education chiefs have now drawn up plans to close both schools – replacing them with one new school, on one of the two existing school sites.

And on Wednesday a meeting of the county council's cabinet agreed to launch a four-week pre-consultation.

Presenting the 'amalgamation' proposals, executive member for education, SEND and inclusion Cllr Mark Watkin said the retention of both schools would not be sustainable, educationally or financially.

But the proposed amalgamation, he said, would offer the "clearest route to maintaining local provision, reducing surplus capacity and creating a stronger, more resilient primary school for Hitchin's future generations".

"The proposal is intended to create local education provision, while creating a more sustainable and resilient school," said Cllr Watkin (Liberal Democrat, Nascot Park).

"It aligns school capacity more closely with demand to make better use of public resources and provide improved opportunities through a larger pupil cohort.

"Leadership teams and governing bodies from both schools have been closely involved in discussions and have expressed support for amalgamation.

"And I am particularly grateful to both heads who jointly signed a letter to that effect, saying they supported the concept of what we were looking to achieve.

"Current pupils would be guaranteed places at the new school and transport impacts are expected to be minimal, with no child required to travel more than 1km further, regardless of which site is selected."

Cllr Watkin had stressed that the number of surplus places in the area were forecast to increase further.

And he said both schools were in financial difficulty – suggesting that by the end of 2028/29 both schools could have a combined deficit of almost £1.5m.

According to Cllr Watkin, Mary Exton had experienced a sustained deficit over several years.

And Purwell, he said, had exhausted its reserves following an ongoing in-year deficit.

Neither school, according to Cllr Watkin, was expected to achieve a balanced budget independently.

But financial modelling, he said, had suggested that a merged school would be "significantly more financially viable".

As part of the four-week pre-consultation, views will be gathered. There will be a detailed assessment of the two sites, which will lead to a recommendation for the 'preferred site' for the new school.

Following the meeting, local councillor Ian Albert (Labour, Hitchin North) said that both schools have had "great traditions and been a huge part of the community in this part of Hitchin".

And despite recognising the falling intakes and financial pressures, he said it was "sad news".

Cllr Albert told the LDRS that he supported the move to go into pre-consultation.

And he said that he "could see there is a powerful argument why creating a new school is the right way forward to protect educational standards and achieve financial viability".

But he stressed that this process "must not be seen as rubber stamping and a done deal".

And he said the cabinet "must be open to looking at alternatives after listening to the views of the community".

Cllr Albert also stressed that he would be pressing for whichever of the two sites was not used for the new school to be retained by the county council for educational use.

The pre-consultation on the proposal is scheduled to start on November 12 and run for four weeks.

The results of that consultation will then be reported to meetings of the county council's education, SEND and inclusion cabinet panel and the cabinet in February, when a decision will be taken on whether to proceed to a statutory consultation.