SANDWELL Conservatives have ridiculed Labour councillors after their decision to back the proposed Sandwell High School for Girls free school in Oldbury.

In last week’s News we revealed the Sandwell Labour group had voted to back an application from London education outfit Capital Talent to open a non-demoninational girls school in Oldbury.

However, the leader of Sandwell Conservatives Councillor Ray Nock poured scorn on Labour’s decision to approve the school.

He said: “I am amazed at the shear audacity of the Sandwell Labour group, they can’t approve or refuse any application to become a free school, it’s down to the Coalition Government’s secretary of state after assessing the plans submitted, the whole idea of free schools is to be free of local authority control.”

“I can only assume that Sandwell Labour are finally agreeing with me that the Coalition governments Free Schools and Academies are the best way forward as a number of Sandwell schools have languishing at the bottom of national league tables for years while under Labour control.”

Cllr Nock slammed Sandwell Council for spending money on school maintenance, legal services, insurance and other services instead of on education.

He added: “Free Schools and new Academies are outside of local authority control and are a government initiative to raise standards of achievement, and retention.

“Sadly Sandwell has a very poor history of both leading to high levels of children in not in education employment or training.”

And Cllr Nock also wants to become a lightening rod for other groups who are interested in setting up free schools in the borough.

He said: “If any other groups wish to break away and form a free school they can contact me directly.”

Sandwell Council education supremo Councillor Bob Badham confirmed the council was negotiating with Capital Talent and Labour councillors backed the application in order to keep more girls in Sandwell and many had been lobbied by local people who want an all girls school in the borough.