Education cuts to leave £167m hole

Published: 19 August, 2010
by RICHARD OSLEY

THE full extent of how badly Camden’s schools have lost out in the coalition’s cuts to spending on school repairs has been revealed.

Education Secretary Michael Gove’s slashing back of the Building Schools for the Future  (BSF) programme has left a £167million hole, new council research shows.

The money is unlikely to be covered by other sources, meaning much-anticipated repair work to 11 of Camden’s schools has been effectively frozen.

The only projects to survive Mr Gove’s cull are the new UCL Academy, the rebuilding of Swiss Cottage Special School and improvements to South Camden Secondary School. Camden’s secondaries are concentrating on the release of A-level results this week but teachers and governors are still planning further protests in a bid to win back funding. The cuts apply to school buildings and investment in new technology. 

Labour schools chief Councillor Heather Johnson said: “Heads, governors and the council itself have spent hours and millions of pounds working up BSF plans just to have them destroyed in an instant.

“The young people of Camden deserve decent, modern classrooms and comfortable, well-equipped schools, and I just hope that the decision to withdraw this essential cash will not hamper their chances for the future.”

THE BIGGEST LOSERS

Maria Fidelis: £26.1m
Hampstead: £24m
William Ellis: £19.2m
Parliament Hill: £19.2m
Camden School for Girls: £20m
La Sainte Union: £25.9m
Chalcot Special School: £4m
Haverstock: £2m