Liberal Democrat education spokesman Councillor David Ward has hit out at the way £1.5m in extra money for schools is to be shared out.

It follows reports in yesterday's Telegraph & Argus which told of the Bradford Council executive's plans to target 28 schools which are falling below targets in a bid to raise educational standards.

The cash will be distributed over two years and is focused on schools in the east and west areas on Bradford. A total of 30 per cent of the cash will be retained by Education Bradford for such things as research, new posts and more resources in mathematics and language.

Coun Ward is not happy that the Council's Young People and Education Improvement Committee will only be given a chance to discuss this increased in funding to Education Bradford one day before the matter goes to the executive for a decision on Tuesday.

He said: "On top of that, none of the schools who might benefit from this money have been consulted about how it could be used. When I asked for a list of the schools so that I could contact them myself to seek their views I was told I couldn't have it.

"This secretive, paternalistic approach does nothing to help struggling primary schools and was not what was intended when the money was put in the budget.

"When the improvement committee meets I would urge the members to recommend to the executive that no decision is made until full discussions have taken place with the schools involved in this initiative."