Another council launches legal action over BSF cuts

By Mark Ferguson / @markfergusonuk

After Nottingham and Luton councils decided to take legal action over the axing of Building Schools for the Future yesterday, Sandwell council followed suit today.

Michael Gove announced over the summer summer that BSF schemes not signed off by 1 January would be cancelled. However Sandwell ahve argued that this was unfair because its BSF schemes were ready to proceed before this date, yet it was forced to stick to a timetable imposed by Partnerships for Schools, the quango running BSF. Council leader Cllr Darren Cooper said:

“We are taking legal action because the Government’s decision is irrational, unfair and shortsighted.”

“Why did they chose 1 January as the cut off date? Was it just plucked out of the air? If we had been told that was the deadline we would have met it.”

“Instead we did what we were told and spent money on preparatory work in good faith. Given the circumstances we believe we have no alternative but to mount a legal challenge.”