On a promise for £80million

Dec 10 2009 Harrow Observer

THE photo of a dated cheque that appeared in your paper (Scandal school to be rebuilt, page 2, Wembley Observer, December 3) may have given readers the impression that Brent has received £80million to rebuild four schools.

I just wanted to clarify that no money has been received and we do not have any indication of when any money would actually be paid.

We know that Brent has to invest local council tax payers' money for about two years in producing strategies for educational improvement and architectural plans before we would have any chance of getting the first instalment.

Many councils fear that they could be led on in the same way as the colleges were. More than 100 colleges paid out millions in design work for new buildings under the Building Colleges for the Future programme, only to be told that there was no government money to actually do the building. Locally, the College of North West London spent £4m in preparation for a new building, only to be told at the last minute that the plans were scrapped.

Brent has not been given £80m. All we have is an undated pre-election promise by a bankrupt Labour government.

BOB WHARTON Executive member children and families, Brent Council

via email

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