£138m schools funds 'wasted'

ANGELA RAYNER

A FAILSWORTH MP has labelled the Government's free schools programme as "deeply insufficient."

It comes after National Union of Teachers (NUT) analysis found that at least £138.5m has been spent on free schools, university technical colleges (UTCs) and studio schools that have either closed, partially closed, or failed to open at all.

Taxpayers' money has been wasted on opening 62 free schools that have been shut down, part-closed, or have not materialised.

According to the National Union of Teachers (NUT), the £138.5m figure would fund 3,680 teachers for a year and provide £6,586 for every school in England.

They analysed the data using information from the Government transparency website, Companies House and media reports.

Angela Rayner MP, Labour's shadow Secretary of State for Education, said the findings were evidence that the Government's free schools programme was "deeply insufficient."

Speaking to The Independent Ms Rayner, who represents Failsworth as Labour MP, said: "This is yet more evidence that the Government's free schools programme is a deeply inefficient way to provide the new school places that are desperately needed."

"Billions of pounds of taxpayers' money has been sunk into free schools but there is still little evidence that the Government is creating new places for children in the areas that they are most needed - all of this while existing schools are facing an unprecedented budget crisis.

"Ministers should start ensuring that taxpayers' money is not being wasted and keep their promise to protect the funding that follows every child."

Free schools are new state schools that do not come under local council control. Freedom is also given over areas such as staff pay and curriculum choices.

The Government has pledged to open 500 new free schools by September 2020.