Salma Yaqoob

The government has announced a review, but virtually every school in Birmingham is already depending on this programme, either to sign long awaited and badly needed refurbishment or rebuilding contracts, or to complete those works that are already on site.

Scrapping the programme now would be a massive blow to these schools. And, in the words of t
he Birmingham Post, "Birmingham's education system could soon split into the haves and the have-nots" with some schools forced to struggle on with temporary classrooms or outdated facilities.

This is bad news for schools, and bad news for the education of our children. But it is also very bad news for the construction industry and the thousands of people who depend on it for their jobs. With the economy in a mess, and construction one of the worst hit sectors, these type of contracts are a lifeline. It is exactly the thing that the government should be doing - investing in our future and securing jobs.

Over the months and years to come, just listen to the ConDem government talk of 'waste' and 'inefficiency'. Don't expect them to own up to the real damage their cuts will do. There is a lot more of this to come.