Thousands of pounds has been lost on school building projects that were not value for money.

An independent review found three of six Milton Keynes Council schemes studied could have been cheaper or more efficiently funded.

Tenders for work at Walton High and Caroline Haslett came in at one-third higher than those for comparable projects.

A scheme at Hazeley School was faulted because of a short construction period and a flatroof structure that increased building costs.

The review said the actual bill for recent improvements at New Bradwell School could have been £25,000 more than might have been expected.

In various instances high specification of work and design features could not be justified in terms of cost. They occasionally increased school running costs without enabling pupils to be better taught.

A council spokesman could not give an estimate of the total value-for-money saving that might have been achieved.

Head of audit Duncan Wilkinson said in an introduction to the review that "significant sums" were involved in some cases.

But the complexity of schemes meant it could not be automatically assumed that money was "avoidably wasted".

Council opposition Tory spokesman councillor David Tunney said: "There has not been proper political control of the departments responsible for major construction programmes. One hopes that someone will get a grip."


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