Emma Reynolds pressed Ministers for a statement on the future of the highly successful, former Labour Government’s Building Schools for the Future programme (BSF).  After Tuesday’s Budget, education spending could be slashed by 25%. 

The BSF programme – which is the biggest capital investment scheme for schools in a generation - has already seen hundreds of schools built and renovated across the country.  In Wolverhampton the City’s ambitious scheme reached ‘Financial Close’ before the General Election.

Teachers and parents have been waiting for seven weeks for news on the future of the investment programme.  There are now grave concerns over the planned refurbishment works to be carried out on Our Lady and St Chad Catholic Sports College, Wednesfield High School and Specialist Engineering College, Moreton Community School and Heath Park Business and Enterprise College as well as the new North East Wolverhampton Academy.  After pressure from Wolverhampton North East Labour MP, Emma Reynolds, the Government announced today that a statement on the future of BSF would be made to the House next week.

Emma said:  ‘The future of the planned investment in our schools is still in doubt after seven weeks of waiting for answers.  Today in Parliament I urged the Government to clarify the situation. There is great concern in my constituency that this program could be cut.  This would put the future of education in Wolverhampton in grave danger."

Since Emma's intervention in Parliament in June, we have since found out that BSF projects in Wolverhampton will go ahead given that financial close was reached before the general election.

24 June 2010