A CHRISTIAN charity has only paid up a fraction of its promised contribution to the building of a flagship academy.

The United Learning Trust (ULT) agreed to sponsor Walthamstow Academy, which opened in 2006, in return for influence over the school's curriculum, staffing and ethos.

But despite pledging £1.5m towards building works, ULT has only contributed £27,000 to date.

Walthamstow MP Neil Gerrard said: “There appears to be a big question about what's happened to the rest of the money.

“You would expect that amount of money (£1.5m) to be put in at the start towards the new buildings.

“I have not been aware though of any problems with meeting running costs.”

Nationally, ULT has only contributed half of the £20m it pledged to 17 new academies.

The government has told the charity that it cannot take over any more schools until it improves standards at the ones it is currently running.

ULT has been reported as saying that none of its school's core budgets are affected, but It is understood that the taxpayer has been covering the cost of the shortfall.

Figures released to Parliament show that sponsors nationwide have only so far paid £145m - two-thirds of the amounts pledged towards the 200 academies across the country.

This has led to fears sponsors are not keeping their end of the bargain and leaves a question mark over the academy system, which has been a flagship Labour policy.

Liberal Democrat MP Paul Holmes, a member of the schools select committee, was reported as describing the academies scheme as a “ludicrously expensive con-trick.”

The Guardian is awaiting for responses from ULT and the Government.

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