Telford schools' revamp on track despite cuts

A £200 million programme to revamp every secondary school in Telford & Wrekin remains on track today despite The Government's decision to massively scale back a building programme.

Education Secretary Michael Gove yesterday announced that more than 700 schools in England will not be rebuilt or refurbished under the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme launched by the former Labour Government.

The programme has been beset by delays and red tape.

Contracts were signed in May for the building of the new £35 million Abraham Darby Sports and Learning Community in Telford as part of the BSF initiative.

This remains safe as do all other projects in the borough.

There is one BSF scheme in the Shropshire Council area — the redevlopement of the William Brookes School at Much Wenlock.

It is nearing completion and is also unaffected.

Mr Gove said: "In light of the public finances it would have been irresponsible to carry on regardless with an inflexible and needlessly complex programme."

General Secretary Chris Keates, General Secretary of the largest teacher's union NASUWT, said the scale back would devastate parents and schools.