Industry News
Schools money 'wrongly spent on consultants'
Posted on 25th September 2007
Millions of pounds could be given to Nottingham consultants for advice on building schools in the city, despite a spokesperson for the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) claiming it could be better invested.
Ralph Surman, Nottinghamshire's national executive member for the ATL told the Evening Post it was an "awful lot of money" to hand to consultants.
He said: "In terms of the academies the money could be better invested full stop."
Mr Surman made his comments following the revelation that Nottingham city council plans to spend £2.8 million over the next few years on consultants.
However, the council's children's services director for strategic planning and resources Graham Feek said any programme such as this involved spending on consultants and added it would ultimately benefit children.
Dr Peter Gates from the University of Nottingham specialises in education and told the newspaper there was a "worrying drift towards commercialisation" within education.
The council has 120 schools within its boundaries as well as seven pupil referral units.
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