CONDEM AXE falls on Bristnall rebuild

Sandwell Labour Council’s cherished plan of rebuilding every secondary school in the borough bit the dust as the CON DEM Government axe fell hard on education in the borough.

Councillors were apoplectic with rage when they realised the Department of Education was back tracking on a promise made just 24 hours before.Sandwell Council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for strategic resources Councillor Steve Eling said: “The situation is bizarre and disgraceful and it is something we will have to challenge because the impact of not going ahead on our educational facilities will be dire.

“The reason for Building Schools for the Future, and the investment which it would bring, was to raise educational standards and it is outrageous this will have been stolen from under our noses.”

He added: “The official letter lodged in the House of Commons library says our Building Schools for the Future scheme was confirmed and now that appears to have been reneged upon.

“On the face of it members of the House of Commons have been misled, as indeed we have been.“ The Department of Education website claims that the Oldbury Sports College rebuild will go ahead but plans for Perryfields and Bristnall Hall have been shelved.

However, there is still confusion what the actual state of play is concerning individual schools.

Cllr Eling said: “The situation is the two schools where work is currently under way – Smethwick and Rowley Regis Learning campuses – will definitely be built.

“However, the three academy projects have been called in for discussion and work on schools in so-called Wave Five – the majority of schools in the borough – will definitely not happen. In addition, we are still waiting to find out whether work at three other schools due to go into the programme will also happen.”

Tags:  bristnall hall, bsf, gove, perryfields, Schools, tories