IT does not make economic sense for a local council to invite private firms to build schools and then lease back them back.

Commercial companies will invest in schools for one reason alone, to make a profit. And councils can ill afford to put money from the public purse into private enterprises.

Bolton's Cllr Guy Harkin concedes that no sensible economist would pay rent in this way. But he adds that the Government's hold on council cash places local authorities such as Bolton over a barrel.

Currently, the Government only gives money for new schools where there are extra places.

By next spring, however, we may have a change of government, and policy, and we suggest that Bolton Council should not rush into partnership funding for schools.

The fabric of our school buildings has been allowed to deteriorate over so many years that nothing will spoil over another six to eight months of neglect.

It is worth waiting until the General Election to see what happens before letting the ownership of new schools go out of the hands of the council into private possession.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.