A NEW row has broken out over Bradford Council's school review in the week when it was revealed that the Government's final decision is expected early next month.

Liberal Democrat education committee member David Ward said costs of the controversial plan appeared to have been 'scribbled down on a beer mat' and were escalating by millions of pounds.

But he said no details had been given by education bosses on how they would find the funding.

Education committee chairman Jim Flood said: "We are expecting a decision in the New Year and expect full details from the Government on funding."

The plan has sparked fury across the district with protests against the planned closure of popular schools as the system is changed from a three-tier to a two-tier one in line with most of the rest of the country.

Under the plan, Ilkley's three first schools, Ashlands, All Saints, and Bolling Road, will become Primary schools, but fears have been expressed about the number of pupils Ilkley Grammar School will have to cater for on its present site.

Estimates of the cost of the massive shake-up have previously come out at around £155 million but a report to today's meeting of the education committee says the cost could rise to £160 million.

Education director Diana Cavanagh said the council would receive about £20 million from the disposal of buildings which were no longer needed.

The present Addingham First School and Ilkley Middle School buildings will be surplus to requirements under the review.

Yearly savings from the move to a two-tier system are expected to be as high as £11 million across the district.

But Coun Ward (Idle) said: "There seems to be a real danger that reorganisation costs will get higher and higher every time someone reports back with an estimate.

"You can't just scribble estimates down on the back of a beer mat. If we don't get the costs right the whole district will suffer for years to come."

Councillor Flood said: "It is a log of money and it is a big scheme. We have produced figures which we feel are basically accurate. Some of the cost of it would be from the sale of school land."

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