Fifty LEAS were last week named in the latest round of school refubishment projects by the troubled Building Schools for the Future programme. With three waves already announced, 600 schools are to be renovated in the next three waves, beginning with those in 15 LEAS which can start planning for them immediately. If the projects complete on time, the schools should be re-opened by 2009/10. A further wave of 19 LEAS start their programmes from next September, while wave six starts early next year. So far, 39 LEAs and 360 schools are involved in the first three waves of BSF, an ambitious £45bn plan to renovate every secondary school in England by 2022. But the programme is already well behind schedule, due to over-optimistic forecasts and lack of LEA procurement skills. Only five projects have been launched and a revised timetable is expected. Tim Byles, ex-chief executive of Norfolk CC, was hired last year to head up the BSF's delivery arm, Partnership for Schools, and get the programme back on track. He told The MJ last week that he would be seeking a ‘more realistic timetable.'
