Safe environment for every pupil 'will cost £15bn'

Nearly 5bn is considered essential for the next financial year (2011-12) alone to ensure youngsters are taught in safe and structurally sound classrooms, it found.

The study, conducted by the Local Government Association and the Association of Directors of Children's Services, questioned local councils on their capital needs for education and children's services, and how much of this was necessary to meet mandatory requirements on providing school places and health and safety.

Around 40 per cent of authorities replied.

The findings, extrapolated to include councils that did not respond, show that 15bn was the minimum investment considered "essential" by local authorities, to ensure that every child had a safe school place.

Of this, 4.7bn was deemed essential for 2011-12.

Overall, councils said they needed 29.3bn over the next four years.

The research came only weeks after the Government scrapped the 55bn Building Schools for the Future scheme, which cancelled projects at 82 schools across the region.