Education watchdogs in Shropshire have been told the county council is going to be embarrassed by the visit of Government advisors after it failed to secure more than £8 million of schools funding.

The warning came from Councillor Peter Phillips, Liberal Democrat group leader, at a meeting of the council’s children and young people’s scrutiny panel yesterday. He said he was surprised the matter was not on the panel’s agenda  

The council is one of only 15 authorities, out of 148 in England, not approved to receive a share of the Government’s £3.55 billion Primary Capital Programme fund.

But the Government’s Department for Children, Schools and Families says it will provide “tailored” professional advice to help the council resubmit a bid for £8.45 million before the end of January.

Councillor Phillips said failure to obtain funding approval was a “significant development” and he was surprised it had not been on the panel’s agenda.

He questioned what the “difficulties” were with the bid as the council.

Councillor Phillips said: “We are going to have to endure the the embarrassment of Government advisors coming into this excellent council.”

He said he also wanted to know what the implications were for the council’s schools’ merger plans and the work of the independent policy commission which is currently looking at ways of safeguarding the future of county schools in the face of falling pupil numbers.

Councillor Liz Nicholson, corporate director for children and young people’s services, said the council had submitted a strategy not a funding bid.

She said money was being allocated for school refurbishment and rebuilding scheme but one of the reasons why the council had failed to have its funding confirmed was the lack of a long-term schools strategy.

Councillor Ann Hartley, cabinet member for children’s services, said she was convinced funding would be obtained.

She said approval had not been granted because the authority was in a “state of flux” as a result of the work of the independent policy commission and being in a “transitional stage” as Shropshire moves towards unitary status.

The reasons why the council is having to make a fresh bid are due to be considered in more detail by the panel on December 10.

By Education Correspondent Dave Morris