Around £75 million is needed to fund ambitious education and community schemes in North Swindon.

With the town continuing to expand, councillors have laid out plans to cope with 10,000 homes which will almost form a small town in themselves.

Expansion and education will be tackled side by side in the northern sector.

Seven new schools (five primary and two secondary) could be created in the Northern sector and the first in a series of public meetings was held last night at Abbey Meads Community Primary School to speak to residents.

The meeting was addressed by Norrie Porter, the council's school organisation group manager.

He said it was vital to receive community input.

"This will cost an awful lot of money and if it goes wrong we, the council, will be given an awful lot of stick and rightly so," he said.

The overall strategy is called Vision for Education in North Swindon.

Mr Porter said the consultation process would continue until late spring.

"The School Organisation Committee (comprising councillors, Further Education Funding Council, school governors and diocese members) will meet next May. Both the new and existing school pattern will be known by the end of this academic year."

As Swindon continues to expand, councillors want to see two new secondary schools, one at the Hreod Parkway site and a second on a new education campus in the Haydon area.

It is also intended to build five new primary schools in the Northern sector.

Coun Chris Eley (Lab, Walcot) said: "This is a huge project. It is about investing in Swindon's future and we need everyone to play their part in this consultation process."

Residents have until January 4 next year to give their views to the council.

However, while the council talks of new secondary schools, the head of an existing school is worried that those which have suffered from a lack of capital investment may be left looking distinctly unappealing to parents.

John Wells, head of Headlands School, said: "I am concerned about the impact this could have and the difference in facilities provided."