LOCAL education chiefs have dismissed government figures on red tape taking up cash meant for schools.

This week schools standards minister Stephen Byers criticised local education authorities for the amount they spend on administration rather than putting the money directly into schools.

The minister named LEAs across the country - including Bury - and how much they spent on red tape such as committee meetings and salaries for officers.

He said Bury spent £1.013 million, or 1.4 per cent of its total educational spending, on administration and management.

Mr Byers said: "This marks the end of the secret garden of education spending. Teachers and parents have a right to know where the money for schools is being spent."

But Mr Harold Williams, borough education officer, says that LEAs used different criteria when deciding what counted as management and administrative spending.

"From the communication we have had with the Department for Education and Employment it appears that Bury does count rather more than other LEAs as management and administration spending," he said.

The DfEE asked about 40 LEAs for figures, and around 30, including Bury, replied. But there was no precise guidance on which costs to include and which were left out.

"When the present government were in opposition, they said they would look for a target of £50 per pupil being spent on administration, and we fall below that," he said. Bury's figure is about £35.

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