DUDLEY North MP Ian Austin has called on Dudley Council to get its act together over education in the Borough.

The MP is demanding education chiefs start working with schools following the U-turn on Building Schools for the Future and academies.

Mr Austin, who has continually pressured the Council to apply for £200 million to improve local schools through the BSF scheme, has welcomed the U-turn.

However he has warned the council that the Government has not changed the rules on the BSF so that successful bids no longer have to include academies, as has been previously stated by cabinet member for children’s services Councillor Liz Walker.

The decision to scrap the academies has left parents, teachers and pupils at both Castle High and Pensnett, unsure of their future.

Both Castle High School and Pensnett are low achieving schools with the MP claiming Dudley Council has not put forward any alternative plans for improving the results of these schools if they do not want to pursue academies.

Mr Austin also wants Dudley Council to make sure the bid is realistic and ambitious, including the establishment of academies, as this is exactly what the Government want to see in bids from local authorities like Dudley.

Ian Austin MP said: “Parents, teachers and pupils at Holy Hall, Castle High, Pensnett and Crestwood have been completely messed around. It is high time Liz Walker started working with parents, schools, and the wider community to come up with a proper plan to make the most of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity BSF presents to transform education in Dudley.”

He added: “The Government want to give Dudley £200 million to rebuild or refurbish every secondary school, but we need a vision to boost standards and drive up ambition and aspiration. So far the Council have not drawn up a bid that fulfils this criterion.

“I have said all along that we should use this approach to link schools up with libraries, leisure centres and other community facilities so we put education at the heart of the community and make driving up skills our Borough’s number one priority.”