THE cancellation of a schools improvement programme has sparked a political row at Waltham Forest Council.
The Government decision to axe the Building Schools for the Future programme has been labelled a "scandal" by the leader of Waltham Forest Council.
Matt Davis, leader of Waltham Forest's Conservative group, said council management is to blame for projects not being further along.
He said: "Waltham Forest took so much longer than anybody else to get their act together.
"In many respects it's somewhat disappointing that Mr Robbins (leader of the council) and Stella Creasy (Walthamstow MP) are making such a fuss of it when it's on Mr Robbins’ watch that this didn't happen, if you see what I mean."
Mr Davis criticised a council proposal to move both George Mitchell and Norlington schools, as part of a new development on the edge of Leyton Cricket Ground, as "a waste of time".
Ed Northover, also a Conservative councillor in the borough, questioned the necessity of a special council meeting on the issue, scheduled for tomorrow, and said a special meeting was not called when the council's chief executive, Andrew Kilburn, left the council last month.
Chris Robbins, leader of the council and former cabinet member for children and young people, defended the council's management of the BSF project and said the coalition Government has cost the borough £263 million.
He said: "We've had major problems finding land to build on but we have completed five schools.
"We have also completed most of the stages required by the Government and it was not entirely in our hands in terms of timing.
"We also had eleven Private Finance Initiative rebuild projects three years ago so there's been a huge amount of work in the borough."
Mr Robbins said Conservative councillors were "terrified" of the debate tomorrow night and an urgent meeting needed to be called so the council could get a response to the Government as soon as possible.
He said: "It's a massive issue. They are using excuses to avoid facing up to the facts that their Government has allowed this scandal to happen."
Mr Robbins said Conservative and Lib Dem councillors should be joining Labour members in lobbying the Government to reinstate the programme in the borough.
He said the council and schools had already spent "tens of thousands of pounds" on projects and he would be working with headteachers and MPs to lobby the Government.
A total of 16 existing schools in the borough will miss out as the Government attempts to cut the budget deficit.
The row follows a response to a Commons question, from Walthamstow MP Stella Creasy, on Monday in which Michael Gove conceded that Waltham Forest is one of the areas where the cancellation of the Building Schools for the Future programme (BSF) “bites more sharply”.
But the Secretary of State for Education said it was because of the way BSF was managed locally.
Miss Creasy highlighted three local schools - William Morris, Holy Family and Willowfield - which had seen funding agreed for improvements after their buildings were condemned as “not fit for purpose”.
She invited Mr Gove to visit Willowfied, which was due to be completely rebuilt, to discuss his decision with teachers and parents.
He responded: “I will ensure that one of my Ministers or officials contacts the hon. Lady very quickly to see what we can do to alleviate this necessary blow.”
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