Building Schools for the Future decision

20 July: The Government has announced that they are ‘not minded’ to agree the Council’s claim to over £250 million of secondary schools funding.

They have however agreed to fund the Council’s contractual obligations.

» Read the full statement here

BSF updates

Council wins BSF Judicial Review

11 Feb: Waltham Forest Council has won its Judicial Review regarding the cancellation of The Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme.

More on the BSF Judicial Review

Judicial Review into BSF scheme cancellation starts

The Judicial Review into the Government's decision to scrap the Building Schools for the Future scheme has started at the Royal Courts of Justice.

Waltham Forest Council is one of six local authorities launching a legal challenge against the government's decision to scrap the programme.

» More on Judicial Review of BSF scheme

Judicial review by the High Court granted

On 5 October 2010, Waltham Forest Council sought a judicial review of the decision by the Government to axe BSF funding for schools in the borough. Waltham Forest have now been granted leave for a judicial review by the high court, which is scheduled for 24 January 2011.

Judicial review sought

5 Oct: Waltham Forest Council is seeking a judicial review of the decision to axe BSF funding for schools in its borough.

The Council has spent in the region of £17 million on driving the scheme forward and its cancellation is having a devastating impact on thousands of young people in Waltham Forest who are learning in outdated and unsuitable classrooms and facilities.

Waltham Forest Council Leader, Cllr Chris Robbins, said:

“The government’s decision to cancel the BSF projects in Waltham Forest is having a catastrophic effect on our pupils and staff and we've been doing everything we can  to persuade them to change their minds.
“We’ve gone about this the right way and we’ve tried to come to a reasonable agreement with the government. It's with a heavy heart that we’ve been forced to apply for a judicial review in order to do what is best for our pupils and our schools."

Support our BSF schools!

16 Sept: We believe that our children deserve the best possible education and investing in high quality school buildings will help achieve this.

We are working hard to ensure our Building Schools for the Future projects are reinstated by the Government.

» Sign our petition to show your support.

Check back regularly for the latest news and information on how you can get involved.

BSF funding suspended

July 5 2010: Secretary of State for Education has suspended the Building Schools for the Future programme pending a review of schools capital funding.

Waltham Forest planned to invest over £300 million into transforming secondary schools across the borough under the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme which was ended on July 5 by the present government. Waltham Forest has been involved in the BSF Programme since 2003. In this time we have successfully built or refurbished four secondary schools bringing substantial education benefits to thousands of our pupils as well as the wider community.

For more information on schools that have been completed under the BSF Programme

Contact us

School Organisation, Partnership and Development
Waltham Forest Town Hall Complex
Sycamore House
3rd Floor, 701 Forest Road
Walthamstow
London E17 4JF

Tel 020 8496 3000 and ask for School Organisation, Partnership and Development Team
Fax 020 8496 3688

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