A DECISION to spend thousands of pounds putting up new signs outside schools is a waste of money according to one local councillor.

As part of its corporate communications strategy, North Yorkshire County Council plans to spend up to £300,000 replacing all the schools' signs in the county with new ones featuring the council's logo to give them a common identity.

Skipton county councillor Mike Doyle said the £300,000 allocated for new school signs could have been better spent on more pressing needs.

He said work to improve the safety for pedestrians at Caroline Square, Skipton, could not go ahead because the £80,000 cost was not available.

Coun Doyle asked which were more important wider pavements for pedestrians or replacing perfectly good signs?

He said he did not know of any schools which had asked for new signs and that the governors of Aireville School, Skipton, certainly had no wish for a new blue sign.

Likewise he said some of the money could have been spent on improving and getting tenants into Burnside House, the former Skipton children's home.

Coun Doyle claimed the education department refused to have anything to do with making Burnside House usable for an after school group or other club, because there was no money for it.

It has been left empty and vandalised.

Coun Philip Barrett said he thought allocating such a large amount of money for school signs was ludicrous when there were more pressing schemes the funds could be spent on.

He pointed to Glusburn School's need for road safety measures. The school desperately needs funding for a turning point for delivery wagons, which currently have to back in or out of the school on to the busy main Colne Road.

Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Phil Willis said: "It is an absolute disgrace that such a sum of money should be wasted on so-called corporate logos for our schools when they need the cash to spend on pupils."

But Chris Metcalfe, the county council's executive member for education, said the £300,000 would be met from an underspend from the financial year 2000-2001.

He said if the underspend had been in the current financial year he would have suggested the money be put back into education.

However, the decision was taken two years ago to look at the corporate branding and all schools had been asked whether they wanted a new sign.

"It's about how the county council improves its imagery and identity within the community," said Coun Metcalfe.

"People know they have got good schools but in a vast amount of cases don't really know which authority provides their services."

Coun Metcalfe said the signs were judged necessary after a review which found the council did not have a strong enough identity, and added that the council had never spent less than the Government recommended on education.

The contract to supply the signs went out to tender and the council has now spent £100,000 on the 367 signs. Coun Metcalfe said the £200,000 left over might be spent on making schools more accessible for disabled pupils.