WALTHAM FOREST: Accusations fly over £3.4 million education blunder (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

WALTHAM FOREST: Accusations fly over £3.4 million education blunder

3:33pm Monday 17th March 2008

• Print
• Email
• Share

THE council and its education provider are at loggerheads over who is responsible for a £3.4 million blunder.

From April 1, VT Education & Skills will take over the reposnsibility of providing education services to the borough's schools.

The multi-million pound contract will see 100 council staff, formerly of EduAction, transferring to VT.

But about 21 senior members of staff were not included in the four-year contract, meaning the council has had to plug the gap with £3.4m of taxpayers' money.

A formal investigation is expected to be launched to find the cause of the mistake.

The council insists that current education services provider EduAction is to blame because it quoted incorrect figures.

The authority's education cabinet member Cllr Chris Robbins said that the authority is "seeking recompense" from EduAction.

He said: "The job numbers originally quoted by EduAction were incorrect but as I told you they are responsible for this error and costs."

But an EduAction spokeswoman denied this.

She said: "EduAction is satisfied that it provided all the necessary information to the London Borough of Waltham Forest."

"EduAction has not received any notice of complaint from LBWF and is therefore unable to comment further.

"We are somewhat surprised at the comments being made by the council ahead of any discussion or necessary investigation.

VT Education & Skills declined to comment on the row.

• Print
• Email
• Share