Taxpayers funded schools plan
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.TAXPAYERS' money was probably used to pay for propaganda to encourage schools to opt out of local authority control, according to a leaked Department for Education report.
The revelation follows criticism by the Commons Public Accounts Committee of the misuse of public funds. It will embarrass the Government and could damage the reputation of John Patten, Secretary of State for Education.
The Grant Maintained Schools Centre (GMSC), an independent body, received a government grant of pounds 500,000 a year to provide advice and support to schools that had opted out of local authority control. Investigators from the Department for Education suspected that some of this money was used for a quite different purpose: campaigning for more schools to leave local council control, in accordance with government policy.
The campaigning was carried out by a group called Choice in Education, which shared offices with the GMSC and whose director, Andrew Turner, was on the GMSC payroll. The centre insists that this was an administrative convenience and that all the campaigning money came from private sources.
Government accountants were unable to reach a definite conclusion, but said some grant money had been diverted to campaigning. 'It seems probable,' they said, 'that some of the grant has financed non-grant functions.'
Their conclusions were outlined in a confidential report last spring. Yesterday, Stephen Byers, Labour MP for Wallsend, revealed the report, which had been leaked to him. He said: 'Having seen this report, it is quite clear why the Government has sought to suppress it. This is a clear misuse of taxpayers' money.'
Since the investigation was carried out, Choice in Education has been wound up and Andrew Turner has become an employee of the GMSC. But the centre's grant has been increased to pounds 790,000 for the current financial year and it has the additional role of providing factual information on opting out.
Labour's education spokeswoman, Ann Taylor, has called for the Public Accounts Committee to hold a fresh investigation.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments