Schools have been promised a new era of freedom by the Government which should give them more money to spend in the classroom and greater control of their budgets. But will Labour's reforms really mean a better quality education for our children? Chris Hewitt investigates.

Schools in Bradford have complained bitterly that they have been severely under-funded for most of this decade.

The Government is now attempting to make better use of the money already available in education.

And Labour now seems convinced that schools, after 10 years of local management, are in a strong position to take on more responsibility.

The simple plan is to offer schools the option of having 100 per cent of school budgets delegated directly to headteachers and governors.

Currently, the money is channelled through the education authority, which then retains a portion of the money (up to 15 per cent) for central administrative and support services.

The Government would ensure that schools got all the money and they would "buy back" services from the LEA as required such as school transport, school meals, a curriculum and advisory service, payroll and personnel.

Literally, the cheque book would be handed over to schools and they will have the opportunity to choose which services they required and from whom they obtained them. It would not necessarily have to be from the LEA. Other competitors may emerge who might reduce the costs of the service in particular areas.

The Local Government Association estimate that this could free up £600 million for education.

Richard Moore, headteacher at Queensbury Upper, said the move was taking LEA schools down the grant-maintained route.

"The principle is fine and would create the level playing field we have been looking for in terms of our relationship with GM schools.

"The advantage GM schools have had over a number of years will be carried over to LEA schools, who will probably be in a better position to harness the resources to the particular needs of the school.

"We would be in a better position to buy in quality LEA services or look elsewhere for services that we are not satisfied with."

On the other side of the coin, school heads would not particularly want responsibility for certain services such as school meals.

John Fryett, head at Wyke Manor Upper, said: "With the best will in the world I really don't want to run school meals but I would like to see areas of greater delegation where the LEA still has a toehold as in the provision of community languages and section 11."

And Neil Donkin, head at Eccleshill Upper, said: "Greater delegation becomes irrelevant if the LEA is providing a quality service because schools would end up simply buying back that service. It may be less cost-effective to delegate."

Simon Willis, head at Carlton-Bolling College, said the issue put a question mark over the future role of the LEA.

"The Government has been asking the LEA to have an increased role in terms of monitoring what is going on in schools buy saying, 'By the way, you won't have any money to do it.'" he said.

Education secretary David Blunkett said: "There has been a lot of argument about the amount of money which different LEAs have held back centrally from what they delegate to schools, and we want to cut right through that."

The new system is expected to come into force in April 1999.

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