Telford to get new schools, say bosses

Council bosses are to plough ahead with multi-million pound plans to rebuild schools across Telford & Wrekin despite fears the new coalition Government could scrap the scheme.

Work is already under way on the new £25 million Abraham Darby Academy, but fears were voiced today for the future of the next of the 14 rebuilds - the £20 million Dawley Sports and Learning Community.

Both redevelopments are part of the previous Labour government's £55 billion Building Schools for the Future programme, which the new Tory-Lib Dem administration has said it is going to review.

Schools and local authorities have been urgently seeking guarantees since news of the review broke last Friday, but the Department for Education has insisted no decision has been taken.

Secondary schools in authorities that have been approved to enter the Building Schools for the Future project, but have not yet named their contractors, may now lose their funding.

Telford & Wrekin Council's education spokesman Councillor Stephen Burrell said the authority was continuing with its programme to rebuild and revamp schools across the borough.

He said an outline planning application for the new sports and learning community in Dawley will go before the council's plans board on June 23.

The new site will replace the Phoenix School on a new site at Paddock Mount. He added: "We appreciate the financial mess the country has been left in but, despite this, we will continue to press our case and are confident in the quality of our plans."

Great Dawley Parish Council member Councillor Shaun Davies said rumours were rife that the new Phoenix School would not now be built.

By Simon Hardy