The chaos surrounding the axing of the Building Schools for the Future programme has continued, as education minister Michael Gove published his fifth amended ‘final’ list of affected schools.

As of the time of writing, the major issues raised are:

Sandwell

Originally the council said it had ‘escaped’ the cuts, but, in the most high profile case, its BSF scheme had actually been axed. Michael Gove then personally apologised to the council. The council secured a meeting with Mr Gove in which it believed a review of its BSF scheme had been agreed.

The Department for Education then said it would not undetake a review. A press release was subsequently put on the council website which claimed ‘confusion’ on the issue, but did say Mr Gove would visit the council.

Nottingham

The council has agreed it will look at ‘a number of options, including court action’ to secure funding for the two schools stopped last week – Trinity and Top Valley schools.

On Monday, when Mr Gove was quizzed in the House of Commons on the BSF issue, Patrick Mercer, the Conservative MP for Newark, explained the dire need for improvements at the Orchard special educational needs school. He said: ‘When it rains heavily in this school the children have to stop being taught in order to hold buckets under the leaking roof.’

Wigan and Bolton

Two projects have reached ‘financial close’ but have still been cut – unlike other similar schemes elsewhere. The two councils are also asking for compensation from the Government for the action and deciding whether the local authorities or the contractors – Laing O’Rourke and Balfour Beatty respectively – are accountable for the cost.

Kent

The axing of a massive £1.8bn caused leader of Kent County Council Cllr Paul Carter to say he was ‘surprised and disappointed’ by the decision.

Birmingham

The axing of the even larger £2.4bn project came to a head when Mr Gove was quizzed on a special needs school’s double appearance on the error-strewn list in the House of Commons. Jack Dromey, the Labour MP for Birmingham Erdington, said: ‘Hopes were raised, confusion then was caused and hopes have been shattered.’

Liverpool

West Derby MP and former schools minister Stephen Twigg told Michael Gove to visit Liverpool to see the effects of his cuts in the heated Commons exchange yesterday afternoon. Michael Gove agreed the area was the third hardest hit. He also said a minister from the Department for Education would visit the area.

Liverpool Liberal-Democrat leader said he felt ‘physically sick’ when he heard of the cuts and described them as ‘unforgivable’. He claimed it could be ‘the straw that broke the camel’s back’ when it comes to the coalition government.

LGA

A ‘snapshot survey’ conducted by the Local Government Association has found more than £161,448,000 has already been spent on school building bureaucracy by 67 local authorities which will see their BSF projects axed.

Cllr Shireen Ritchie, chair of the Children and Young People’s Board at the LGA, said: ‘Councils have invested millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money preparing for school building schemes which they are told will now not go ahead.

‘Town halls which have embraced this government initiative should not be out of pocket and their residents should not end up footing the bill.’