City Tories say "No Thanks" to £9M for local schools

Labour councillors and MPs slammed the decision by Brighton and Hove's Conservative council to reject over £9 million of Government funding for local schools.

As part of the Government's efforts to support local businesses and jobs through the recession, millions of pounds of spending on school buildings and repairs are being brought forward from 2010/11 to 2009/10. The Government has made over £9 million available to the City Council for this year - this would have meant that schools seeing building repairs and improvements sooner than expected as well as hundreds of new jobs.

Conservative led Brighton and Hove City Council did not apply for this funding. Had the Council applied for this funding, headteachers would have had the benefit of this funding for new classrooms, science laboratories or new gyms and ICT facilities.

Hove MP Celia Barlow posed a question to Deputy Leader Harriet Harman in the Commons.

Ms Harman also condemned Brighton and Hove City council for their failure to apply for the funding, and urged Celia to continue to work with the Government to secure funding for Schools in Brighton and Hove.

Celia added, ‘I am appalled that the Tory Council has failed to bid for this funding, through what I can only assume is incompetence.
Everyone in our City knows how much we need investement in our schools, and I am truly dissappointed that children at schools in Brighton and Hove may not have the opportunities of brand new facilities that they could have enjoyed.

This comes at a time when the Conservative City Councillors have voted to slash £10 million from local schools, in their latest budget.

Labour Opposition Spokesperson for Children, Cllr Pat Hawkes said:

"This is either a very serious mistake made by the council or a shameful decision by the Conservative Council to wash their hands of the City's children. Brighton & Hove schools need this extra investment as soon as possible. The Government is prepared to give much needed money now and it is unjustifiable that the Council has not taken advantage of this chance to change schools for the better."

Cllr Hawkes wrote to the Director of Children's Services asking why the council has not taken up the offer to bring forward £9 million for rebuilding and improving City schools and urged that they did so as soon as possible.

However, there is some good news for Brighton and Hove, because there will be some money making its way directly to schools this year, in spite of the Conservative Council's indifference. The Government's efforts to support Brighton and Hove's businesses and jobs through the recession are being brought forward from 2010/11 to this year, with millions of pounds of spending on school buildings and repairs. Every school in Brighton & Hove will benefit with £1,481,124 of funding brought forward from next year to this year - a total of £5,183,932 of spending for this coming year. The funding will go directly to Headteachers and schools who can choose how to spend the money as they see fit, from building new classrooms or science laboratories to fitting out new gyms or ICT facilities.

Leader of the Labour Group, Cllr Gill Mitchell said:

"The Government is giving the city huge amounts of extra money for schools, with the biggest Primary and Secondary rebuilding programme for a generation. It is good news that nearly £1.5 million will make its way directly to the schools, but it is unfair that local schools and businesses will miss out on £9 million, so I urge the Council to think again and do their bit to support schools, jobs and businesses in our area."