Many Bradford schools are in dire need of investment to deal with buildings that are “structurally unsound” and unable to cope with the demand for places, the Government has been warned.

Bradford East MP David Ward said the district already faced massive problems given the growing population and the movement within the area and free schools were making planning places more difficult for the Council.

Speaking in his debate on Schools in Bradford, he told MPs yesterday of the backlog of maintenance requirements to bring schools up to standard, including at Carlton Bolling College where parts are “structurally unsound with some areas roped-off and unusable because they are unsafe to use”.

Many primary schools are at capacity and two new secondary schools are needed to deal with growing demand. Basic need funding – which gives extra cash to councils to help deal with additional spaces and saw Bradford given an extra £7.4 million earlier this month – will not tackle the problem, he said.

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