By Richard Johnstone | 17 April 2014
Nearly nine out of ten people believe that government restrictions on councils opening new schools should be lifted, according to a poll carried out for the Local Government Association.
A survey of 1,688 adults in England found that 89% agreed councils should be in charge of building and maintaining new schools.
Following the government’s education reforms to increase the number of academies and introduce free schools, the final decision about building new schools in England now lies with Education Secretary Michael Gove, the LGA said.
This means councils do not have the full range of powers they need to meet the current demand for additional school places. Last academic year, councils created 90,000 primary school places, mostly through expanding existing schools, but 130,000 places are still needed.
Publishing the survey results on the day parents receive confirmation of their child's primary school place, the LGA said the squeeze would also soon affect secondary schools.
Apu Bagchim, deputy chair of the LGA’s children and young people board, said the poll showed local residents have trust in councils.
Although some school places have been created by free schools, these have not always been in the places with most local demand, he said.
‘Councils have a duty to ensure there is a school place for every child and parents should know they will do everything in their power to ensure there is no child without a place.
‘By returning the power to create schools to councils, government could ensure school places for children of all ages can be delivered according to local demand, and in line with the local needs of parents and y
