THE decision to axe many of the planned school building projects in East Lancashire was a huge blow last year.

So the news that a judge has called education secretary Michael Gove’s move an ‘abuse of power’ will encourage all the councils that lost out.

The Building Schools for the Future scheme had helped regenerate not only numerous schools in the region but also the surrounding areas, through the introduction of top quality facilities which the whole community could enjoy the benefits from.

That is why the decision in October to slash the funding for the project was such a tough one for areas like ours to take.

The government has now been deemed not to have consulted the affected local authorities properly.

But this should not necessarily be seen as a sign that the axed projects in this area will now be rejuvenated.

East Lancashire’s education authorities will have to study the situation in the aftermath of the court decision very carefully because there is potentially much to gain.

Let us hope that even if the scheme is not resurrected in East Lancashire the judge’s verdict will result in more thought and consultation from the Government before they make cuts decisions which have such major repercussions.