CONCERNS over the “huge need” for a local sixth form have been raised by a campaigning councillor.

Mistley councillor Carlo Guglielmi highlighted the issue that the Manningtree area is in need of a sixth form in the near future at Mistley Parish Council’s meeting on Monday night.

At the meeting he discussed Essex County Council’s report about the county needing more than 22,000 school places and creating 22 new schools across the county over the next decade.

The report said an extra 12,201 primary school places will need to be found by 2027, along with 9,915 new secondary places.

Tendring was listed as the second highest place in the county in need of additional places – which came to a total of 2,921.

This means the district would need 1,526 primary school places and 1,395 secondary school places.

At the meeting Mr Guglielmi said: “Interestingly enough Tendring is the second highest area in need of places after Colchester.

“So there is a huge need for a sixth form locally.

“We have got the best part of 1,200 houses which have been given permission to be built so therefore the numbers of students will stack up as time progresses.

“It will be several years before a case for a sixth form is put forward but nevertheless we are very aware and discussions will continue.”

Currently, the closest sixth forms to Manningtree are Sixth Form College Colchester, Harwich and Dovercourt High School Sixth Form and Suffolk One, in Ipswich – which are all at least ten miles from the town.