Now schools firm needs an extra £1.5m

From the archive, first published Thursday 9th Feb 2006.

A new report suggesting Education Bradford needs an extra £1.5 million a year from Bradford Council has put taxpayers `over a barrel' according to one senior councillor.

Next week's meeting of the authority's ruling executive will hear the investment is needed to `maintain current capacity' - a phrase that some fear hints at classroom cutbacks.

Yesterday's meeting of Bradford's young people and education improvement committee heard a report from the independent district auditor outlining a likely £7.5 million shortfall on Education Bradford's contract when it ends in 2011.

It was suggested that by investing a further £1.5 million a year the Council could cancel out that deficit.

Committee chairman, Councillor Phil Thornton (Lab, Windhill and Wrose), questioned the original 2001 contract between Education Bradford and the Council. "It is quite clear that negotiations were inadequate, short-sighted and a waste of time - their business has been unsuccessful and now we are picking up the tab," he said.

"The company overspent above the contract requirements in the first year and the situation we are faced with is that the Council is going to be expected to pick up the tab - a tab that will put further demands on an already stretched budget."

His colleague Councillor Andrew Thornton (Lab, Royds) added: "Over the lifetime of this contract we have seen a diminishing of our expectations in terms of education outcomes, and that has gone hand in hand with us seemingly paying more into the contract."

He added: "We are over a barrel with this - it is a case of stick in more money or outcomes for young people will be damaged."

However the executive's portfolio holder for education, Councillor Dale Smith (Con, Wharfedale) said he was convinced Education Bradford would not stop funding to schools, and described the allegations as `scare stories'.

He added: "I don't think you are right in supposing we won't get outcomes - everyone is striving to get the outcomes which were there at the start. We have not lowered our aspirations, we have rephased them because we found a worse situation in 2000 than we expected."

The committee voted to express disappointment the Council is being asked for more cash without anything extra to show for it, and made clear it's view that the Council is not responsibe for Education Bradford breaking even.

However members recommended the request for extra funding be taken into account as part of the overall budget process now underway, and due to conclude with a setting of the 2006-07 budget on March 2.

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