The association that represents local government agencies across England and Wales has published shock figures that show a multi-million pound 'waste' on foot of national school rebuilding project cancellations.

The Local Government Association (LGA) believes more than £203 million has been spent by 75 councils preparing for school rebuilding schemes which have either been stopped or are academy schemes subject to discussion.

A total of 88 councils are affected, according to the latest list from the Department for Education.

The lobby and campaign group that targets changes in policy, legislation and funding on behalf of member councils and the people and communities they serve, said that East Midlands, for example is out a huge £19,299,442 while East England has spent £13,026,000 needlessly on school projects that have since bveen cancelled.

They said London spent £54,410,960, the North East £12,968,758, North West, £22,104,487, South East, £11,443,000 and the South West, some £11,226,000.


They LGA also reported that the West Midlands spent £41,190,089 and Yorkshire and Humber are out over £17,611,400 with the overall total estimated to be in excess of £203,280,170.

The structure of the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) scheme required councils to carry out detailed public consultation and to recruit and commission designers and architects ahead of programmes being given the final go-ahead.

Town halls had to negotiate 60 separate documents, submit 'strategic overviews' to government and create project boards to oversee their submissions.

The LGA is calling for preparatory work and plans drawn up under the BSF scheme to be eligible for consideration under any new programme to share out capital funding.

Schools which have had programmes scrapped are also entitled to a clear explanation of why their project is no longer considered viable, and should get some guidance on when they might next attract investment.

Cllr Shireen Ritchie, Chair of the Children and Young People's Board at the LGA, said: "The Building Schools for the Future programme meant significant investment for many areas and has been a boost to local economies.

"Obviously families, schools and councils affected by the cuts to the programme will be bitterly disappointed. The process was over-bureaucratic and wasted councils' time and money, but the key issue is that around 700 schools and 80 councils now have to deal with plans being cancelled and scaled back.

"Councils have invested millions of pounds of taxpayers' money preparing for school building schemes which they are told will now not go ahead.

"Town halls which have embraced this government initiative should not be out of pocket and their residents should not end up footing the bill," she said.

(BMcC/KMcA)