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BSF Spending Review - 25/05/2010
Naturally, there has been a lot of anticipation with regard to budget cuts since the new coalition Government came in to power at the beginning of May. From our own perspective, we are primarily interested in the BSF programme and how that might be affected going forward. The Government has denied reports that the Building Schools for the Future scheme is "on hold pending a full review" according to recent reports in Education Investor.
Reports in the construction press have said that any BSF scheme that had not yet appointed a preferred bidder was to be halted. This could leave as many as 60 schemes in limbo (worth c£2 billion).
Sources suggest that, while schemes with preferred bidders were "probably safe", those that came later were likely to be frozen. This would probably mean that schools would then have to apply for funding for rebuilding schemes on an individual, rather than local authority, basis. This move is likely to face fierce resistance.
This move, if it happens, will not come as a great surpise. It has been widely anticipated. Earlier in the year, Nick Gibb, now the Minister of State for Schools, said that a Tory government would only guarantee schemes that had already reached financial close.
A statement published jointly by both the Department for Education and delivery agency Partnerships for Schools said: "Ministers will shortly be considering their spending priorities, which includes schools capital funding. No decisions have been taken."
So, we play the waiting game. The BSF programme is an ambitious one (and requires a great deal of investment) but is that the price we need to pay to ensure our children get their education in surroundings fit to give them that education?