LABOUR'S ACADEMIES SUFFERING FROM HIGH COSTS (Kirklees Liberal Democrats)

Kirklees Liberal Democrats <info@kirkleeslibdems.org.uk>

LABOUR'S ACADEMIES SUFFERING FROM HIGH COSTS

October 24, 2007 7:10 PM

Parliaments own watchdog, the 'Public Accounts Committee' have said the costs of academies: "…have not been kept under control, with 17 of the first 26 academy buildings each costing over £3 million more than expected."

Councillor Kath Pinnock, believes that the new academies are: "Over-budget, and expensive to build, compared with ordinary schools."

It has become obvious that the government is finding it difficult to keep track of the spiralling costs of the academies. Liberal Democrat Group leader, Councillor Kath Pinnock, believes that the new academies are: "Over-budget, and expensive to build, compared with ordinary schools."

It is also not clear as to the immediate, or long-term, success of the academies with a government watchdog still deliberating as to whether or not the academies are actually working.

The Tories are also promising to build, at least two, academies here in Kirklees. Cllr Pinnock says: "The Tories are blindly supporting the Labour Government over academies" and goes on to say that: "Building academies in Kirklees will mean all other High Schools will fail to get the investment they need and deserve."

Cllr Pinnock believes: "The consequences might be the wasting of scarce money on an idea that has not proved itself to be cost effective."

"We want the scarce resources for building schools for the future to be invested fairly so that all schools in the area benefit. We want a good local school for every child in Kirklees."