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Government's BSF decision may trigger court action
Tue 13 Jul 2010
A local authority has said it may take the government to court to secure funding for school redevelopments.
Nottingham City Council has already commenced work on Trinity and Top Valley Schools, which had been allocated funds under the Building Schools for the Future programme.
However, the new coalition government recently confirmed that it would not be continuing with the policy, which means more than 700 schools will no longer be refurbished or rebuilt, including 180 proposed new-builds.
Councillor David Mellen of Nottingham City Council said the authority was "shocked" to see the BSF programme being scrapped.
He confirmed that it will take "whatever actions are necessary" to overturn the decision, including going through the courts.
The government has meanwhile published a fifth list of the schools that will be affected by the move.
Earlier lists had featured incorrect information, which prompted education secretary Michael Gove to issue an apology in parliament.
Andrea Squires, a partner at Winckworth Sherwood Solicitors, commented: "The axing of the BSF programme is beginning to feel like death from a thousand cuts.
"Despite the delay in the announcement, which had been widely expected at the time of the election, there is a feeling that the department had not fully appreciated the level of investment and enthusiasm that local authorities had for BSF.
"Not only are councils looking at their own wasted costs, but also claims now from contractors for wasted procurement costs.
"It's no surprise that the councils are looking for the department to pay.
"Whether the department can afford to financially or politically will be a difficult one. Maybe the courts will have to decide."
