Education Secretary, Michael Gove has announced that the Department for Education has been reviewing the Building School’s for the Future (BSF) scheme since the election and that any local authority schemes that have not reached financial close would be stopped subject to review.
In North East Lincolnshire Wintringham and Immingham Academies have already been built, Havelock Academy and Hereford Technology College are unaffected, the new Cleethorpes Academy is to be reviewed while another eight school projects have been stopped. This includes Cambridge Park Special, Healing, Humberston Maths and Computing College, Humberston Special, St Andrew's, Park House, Tollbar Business and Enterprise College and Whitgift schools.
Councillor Tony McCabe, portfolio holder children, schools and families, said: "While I am aware that the minister's announcement about BSF may cause some uncertainty and delay I would like to emphasise the good progress that we have made with our schools. For instance I am really pleased that the rebuilding of both Hereford and Havelock schools will be going ahead as planned although at present the position regarding the Cleethorpes Academy is unclear.
"The Government has announced that capital investment in the public sector will remain at its current level throughout this parliament and that there will be a review of Building Schools for the Future (BSF) with feedback due in September or October.
"It is good that St Andrew's school is still due to open in September as planned and refurbishment work is due to be completed by the end of the summer. A letter is being sent today to parents of students at St Mary's and Matthew Humberstone schools clarifying the current situation.
"We are absolutely committed to the transformation of learning and teaching throughout the borough and will continue to work with schools and our partners to achieve as much as we can in light of yesterday's announcement. Let's not forget too that more than £90m has already been invested locally in the fantastic schools that have been rebuilt or are in the process of being rebuilt."
Tony Hunter, chief executive North East Lincolnshire Council, said: "There has been a tremendous amount of effort put into the Building Schools for the Future programme to date and we are all naturally disappointed that a number of individual school projects have been put on hold. Like many other councils, North East Lincolnshire was invited to bid for BSF funding in a later stage of the programme. Progress was made very swiftly and this council was the only authority in the country to have its programme accelerated. Yesterday's announcement puts North East Lincolnshire in a comparable situation to other authorities at the same stage.
"Although it is too early to make specific commitments, the council's generally robust financial position may give us room to support further developments.
"Families and everyone involved in educational services in North East Lincolnshire have built up a real momentum for improved opportunities for children and young people and I am determined that this will be maintained."