Michael Gove, the under-fire Education Secretary, has been warned in confidential advice from a leading QC that local authorities have a “fairly strong case” in legal bids to recover costs incurred from cancelled school building programmes.

The advice, leaked to The Sunday Telegraph, is the latest blow for Mr Gove as he battles against the fallout from his botched announcement last month in which he axed more than 700 projects.

At least two local authorities – Sandwell and Nottingham City Council – are known to be preparing possible legal challenges, and several other councils may follow in moves which could see the taxpayer facing payouts totalling hundreds of millions of pounds.

…

Last month The Sunday Telegraph revealed that Mr Gove had ignored the advice of his own officials in going ahead with the announcement of the scrapping of the £55 billion Building Schools for the Future (BSF) initiative before widespread consultation.

The DfE said the newspaper’s story was “wrong” – only for it to be confirmed in evidence to the Commons all-party education select committee.

…more at the Sunday Telegraph

Reader comments

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17. Naadir Jeewa

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18. Halle Davies

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19. blogs of the world

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