Shortage in pupil places

The DfE have announced an allocation of extra £500 million to address the shortage in pupil places

The Department for Education plans to address the shortage in pupil places being experienced by some local authorities, and reduce the level of prescription and unnecessary guidance which are a feature of the school premises regulations and hamper the deve.

In July 2011, Michael Gove announced that an extra £500 million would be made available, this year, to local authorities experiencing the greatest need in managing shortfalls in providing pupil places. This additional funding has been made available from efficiencies and savings identified in BSF projects that are continuing.

Over one hundred local authorities will receive a share of the funding. The allocations have been calculated using figures provided to the Department for Education by local authorities through the 2011 School Capacity and Forecast Information returns. By using the most up-to-date information available we are making sure the savings identified are being targeted to local authorities experiencing the most severe need.

DfE claims the funding means that in 2011-12, a total of £1.3 billion will have been allocated to fund additional school places. The Government already announced an allocation of £800 million funding in December 2010. 

DfE say they would like reassure those local authorities whose needs were not as severe as others - and which, therefore, did not receive a share of this extra £500 million - that future capital allocations for basic need and maintenance pressures will be announced later in the year.

They are also launching a twelve week consultation on the revision of school premises regulations. The consultation document sets out how the Government intends to deregulate and end the confusion and unnecessary bureaucracy surrounding the current requirements. 

From

http://www.education.gov.uk/inthenews/inthenews/a00199879/allocation-of-extra-500-million-to-address-the-shortage-in-pupil-places