Comment on surplus school places

ADCS President Steve Crocker said:

“Local authorities have a key role on local place planning and a statutory duty to ensure there are enough school places available to local children and young people, yet we have little control over the location of new free schools and are unable to propose or open new schools to meet local need. Sadly, these findings are not surprising, but they demonstrate the need for a more coherent system with local authorities at its centre with strategic oversight. Too often, we see free schools opening up miles away from where they are needed, placing further pressure on already stretched transport budgets, or subsequently closing costing millions to the public purse and disrupting education for pupils. This is not a good use of public money and does nothing to meet the needs of children, young people and their families.”

ENDS

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