School cuts kick in teeth, says MP (From The Oxford Times)

School cuts kick in teeth, says MP

7:30pm Wednesday 28th July 2010 in

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OXFORD East MP Andrew Smith has attacked Government cuts which have seen projects to partially rebuild two city schools axed.

Speaking to the Oxford Mail about the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme, Mr Smith said cancelling much-needed investment to Iffley Mead Special School and Cheney School sent out the wrong message.

The Labour MP also called on Oxfordshire County Council to go ahead with plans to rebuild Bayards Hill Primary School, in Barton, following question-marks over a multi-million-pound planned redevelopment of the site.

However, Conservative MP Nicola Blackwood – whose Oxford West and Abingdon constituency covers Larkmead School, which has also had its BSF funding axed – blamed the decision on the financial situation left by the previous Labour Government.

Mr Smith said: “These cuts will be deeply damaging to education and demoralising for students, parents, governors and teachers.

“What message does it send out simply to hack support away from schools such as these?

“No assessment or evaluation of their particular needs – programmes just cut.”

He pointed out that Iffley Mead had been looking forward to state-of-the-art teaching areas for the children with special needs in its care.

A fourth county school, Banbury School, was also due to receive a share of £62m, but was told it would no longer be receiving any investment.

Mr Smith said: “It is a kick in the teeth for everyone who cares about these schools and has been working hard for their success.”

Miss Blackwood said she sympathised with the disappointment of the schools which had been promised funding.

But she added: “It was a flawed programme and an enormous amount of money was wasted on bureaucratic processes, rather than the schools they're supposed to help.

“At a time when we have to deal with the horrendous financial legacy of Labour’s Government, we couldn’t justify continuing the programme.”

Bayards Hill was outside the BSF remit, but was due to be totally rebuilt after being approved for a primary capital grant two years ago.

But Oxfordshire County Council is currently examining every single one of its capital projects and can offer no guarantees that the money will be forthcoming.

Mr Smith said: “I am calling on the county council to honour the pledges which have been made and ensure this project can go ahead.”

Last night, the Tory council’s cabinet member for schools improvement, Michael Waine, told the Oxford Mail: “The Bayards Hill project has been held up with issues that are still to be resolved.

“The earliest start point for work there would be at the end of the 2010-11 year, but we will need to see what happens. At the moment we are not clear how that will be affected.

“It is a scheme I believe to be important, but it depends on so many factors – and it is a very big sum of money.

“It is anyone’s guess as to what happens.”

Comments(16)

Apu Nahasapeemapetilon says...
7:44pm Wed 28 Jul 10

Tories attack Labour, Labour attack Tories, Lib Dems side with whoever, Greens eat vegetables. Is this news?