Invest airport money in our schools

4.11.48pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 3rd Oct 2006

The Liberal Democrats on Bradford Council are calling for some of the money which will be received if Leeds/Bradford airport is sold, to be used to make sure that the building programme for schools goes ahead.

Councillor David Ward, formerly the Education Portfolio Holder and now chair of the Bradford north Area Committee said,

" Building Schools for the Future is a huge project to rebuild secondary schools in Bradford and to provide new buildings for secondary age pupils with special needs. The Council is also planning to provide new primary special schools.

Phase 1 of the project to rebuild Buttershaw, Tong and Salt is well advanced and likely to go ahead. Phase 2 which includes the special schools needs some upfront money to pay for planning and procurement before the government will agree to Bradford going ahead. It is this money which we believe could be ring-fenced from the any money receive from the sale of Leeds/Bradford Airport.

It is vital that if the Council votes to sell the airport that the money is invested in Bradford District so that it benefits the whole community and what better way to do this than to invest in the future education of our children.?"