The Government has unveiled £4bn plans to build new academy schools across the country. This new investment doubles in value the first wave of contracts, due to come to an end in 2010. But the plans have met with concerns from council leaders, who fear the academy building programme does not always provide a ‘fair use of funds'. Academy schools are state-funded, but independent sponsors, such as businesses, have the right to appoint governors, and the schools have more control over their curriculum. An LGA spokesman said: ‘We have some concerns that the whole system is properly linked up so children across the area can benefit. It must address the problems faced by children across the region, so it is a fair use of funds.' But Tim Byles, former Norfolk CC chief executive, who now leads Partnerships for Schools (PfS), said: ‘We are already seeing the value of the framework approach – both in terms of providing best value and securing educational transformation for communities. ‘Re-procuring the National Framework will ensure these twin objectives, as we are now seeing in BSF, continue to be translated into the new academy schools being built.'
