EDUCATION in Dudley has been condemned as “chaos” by borough MP Ian Pearson after a major council policy shift.

Dudley Council cabinet is to debate a plan to scrap proposals for two new £36 million academies in the borough and instead go for £200 million in Building Schools for the Future (BSF) cash to revamp every school in the region.

Mr Pearson, Labour MP for Dudley South and a Government finance minister, launched a stinging attack on the plan, arguing the council should pursue funding for both schemes.

Mr Pearson said: “I am astonished that such plans are being contemplated as this is yet another U-turn by the council that will have a direct and negative affect on our children’s futures.

“We have now been through almost three years of chaos and hundreds of parents have only just made their choices for schools.”

Councillors say cash is the problem and the time has come to recommend scrapping plans to replace Castle High in Dudley and The Crestwood and Pensnett schools with two academies run by christian organisation Oasis Community Learning.

Councillor Liz Walker, Dudley cabinet member for education, said: “We are a four-star council, our results are up and chaos is not a word Ian Pearson can use with any justification.

“The annual Audit Commission report says Dudley is making good progress, achievement for 16-year-olds has risen significantly and no schools were judged inadequate.

“We are on the up – it’s not about buildings, it’s about what goes on inside.”

She added: “The council has been on a long journey with BSF and academies but we have now reached a crossroads where we need to make a final decision.

“Initially, we could not enter into BSF without committing to building academies and we were told there would be no costs attached to the academy programme.

“The rules have changed over recent months and it is now possible to enter BSF on its own.

“At the same time, there is now a considerable financial obligation to building academies, which was not there in June 2008.”

The council says start-up costs for the academies would stretch finances too far, with a shortfall between grants from central government and the final bill of more than £10 million.

Mr Pearson says he intends to keep up pressure on the council and is planning a meeting with the schools minister as a matter of urgency.

He said: “We must have a plan for our children’s futures from nursery to adulthood.

“My belief is that this is only possible if we have a combined programme involving all our schools using both the BSF and academies funds.”

Dudley’s cabinet was considering the new plan tonight.