Forum Topic

Schools building cuts - political crossroads

Councillor Julian Bell, Leader of Ealing Council, said: “Thisdecision is a devastating blow to our plans to transform high schools across the borough and give our young people the education they deserve.“BSF funding has been stopped at 15 schools and plans for a new high school have been put in jeopardy.“Plans to improve Dormers Wells, Cardinal Wiseman and West London Academy are being reviewed despite work at one school due to start in a matter of weeks. We urgently need confirmation that funding will be provided from the government so work can start.“We have a growing population and are in desperate need of more school places, particularly for children with special educational needs.“Through the BSF programme we expected to have built classrooms for more than 3,000 extra high school pupils by 2014. We know we need at least one more high school in the north of the borough and significant investment in our existing schools. What is not clear is how this willbe funded.These were to be funded by the PFI mechanism which would leave us paying ways over the odds for the next 10 or twenty years for the buildings built in the last few years. So is it a case that the Tories recognise that PFI (Invented by their very own Dave two brain Willets) is a monstrous waste or will they re-invent another wastefull way of getting things done. PFI will be a driving force behind NHS cuts as Health Authorities have to pay large sums for their Hospitals. that have been built in the last ten years. I would like to see what the official policy of the Coalition is to the PFI madness that has damaged the public sector so much!!!

Peter Chadburn ● 5926d6 Comments

I recall the recent invitation for groups other than local authorities to start schools. So is this rather primarily a central government move away from local authorities?.

Graham Weeks ● 5926d

It is difficult to determine as whilst Cameron has been promoting change, it is difficult to tie down detail and the methods of funding. PFI is a millstone around the Taxpayers neck

Peter Chadburn ● 5926d

The history of PFI does indeed start with Tory Willetts but he couldn't make PFIs attractive enough for rich investors. It was New Labour's Gordon Brown and Geoffrey Robinson who made PFIs more attractive to rich investors and transferred most of the risk involved onto the Governement ie tax payers. My concern is that Gove is obsessive about taking control of State education away from Local Government and controlling it all from Whitehall. Ironically this has all happened before (remember 'opting out'in the 1980s/90s). As an initiative it eventually collapsed but not before wrecking the Local Government support structures for schools especially the special needs' provisions.However whether it's private investors, National Government, the IMF or parents who are going to fund new schools - the cash may simply just not be available.

Eric Alan Leach ● 5926d

According to the list (and I understand that it may not be 100% right), the only PFI projects in Ealing are:Acton High Secondary SchoolBelvue Special SchoolNew Secondary SchoolSpringhallow Special School Dormers Wells Secondary Schoolof which Dormers Wells hasn't actually been stopped.I suspect the policy will be to hand money directly to the 'efficient' private sector with no oversight.  Certainly seems to be the case with 'Free Schools'.

Thomas Barry ● 5926d

Surely Brentside and other re-builds were PFI projects??

Peter Chadburn ● 5926d

http://www.ealingtoday.co.uk/default.asp?section=info&link=http://nnet-server.com/server/common/conschools163ea.htmi saw this reply but whilst we may debate the facts that cuts are taking place, should we also have queried the funding methods that provided many schools over the last few years? PFI is the one thing that really was a magic trick donme by Labour. Yes invest in Public services. but do not subsidise Japanese Banks and other investment funds by paying over the odds for new hospitals and schools. The invasion of Iraq was a Lie but the reliance on dodgy capitalist funding methods created by Dave "two brains" Willets was a total betrayal of the taxpayer. So what will happen now???? Tories following the same pattern??

Peter Chadburn ● 5914d