Bedfordshire County Council (BCC) has confirmed it has no power to close schoools under arrangements governing the transition to the new Bedford Unitary Authority. Some have taken this to mean that the introduction of two tier schools for Bedford and Kempston has been halted, at least for the time being.

Unfortunately, that's a somewhat optimistic view.

The County Council's timetable for structural change has always extended well beyond its own demise. The outline business case is not expected before June 2009; shortlisting of bidders is not expected before February 2010 and new building not to start before April 2011. The only way it has been possible for BCC to work with such distant time horizons is through the co-operation of Bedford Council.

Chief executive Shaun Field has already said that a unitary Bedford Borough Council could ditch middle schools if there is evidence to suggest that a two tier system would improve GCSE results. Coincidently, the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) Project Board set up by BCC has already concluded that a primary / secondary arrangement would result in the best use of resources in tackling specific pockets of underachievement in Bedford and Kempston. The Project Board 'felt' (sic) that the transformation which is being sought through the use of BSF funding is 'most likely' (sic) to be achieved if pupils can stay longer within a primary setting and only need to change schools once.

Furthermore, while the Project Board noted that retention of the existing structure was likely to be more straightforward and less disruptive - and that these arguments were powerful when applied to areas of high achievement - the Board 'felt' that they did not in themselves justify the retention of the status quo in an urban area in which underachievement was a significant issue. Unfortunately the Board failed to detail the reasons why the structure performed so differently in contrasting areas of achievement.

Clearly time and money has, yet again, been spent by the County on this issue. Is Mr Field proposing that the new unitary authority returns to GO, collects a good deal more than £200 from Council Tax, and revisits the game of monopoly known as beliefs and blind faith?

Is more money to be spent on doctrine and dogma when what the children need is health, safety, enjoyment & achievement, social & economic wellbeing - not to mention an education - so that they can eventually make a contribution?