HALF a million pounds of taxpayers’ money is to be spent rebuilding a Yate school, even though it will become an independent academy later this year.

South Gloucestershire Council has been told the £16.421million allocated to rebuilding King Edmund Community School when it reopens as an academy in September would be withdrawn by central Government if the authority does not stump up the cash.

Cllr Howard Gawler (Lib Dem, Ladden Brook) said: "I feel this authority has been shafted.

"That money could have gone to lots of other schools for improvements. It is exceedingly unfair."

The Department for Children, Schools and Families previously assured the council that all the money would come from Westminster.

At a meeting of the council’s ruling cabinet on Monday, the authority agreed to contribute £525,000 in project fees to avoid losing the £16.421million.

Leader of the council, Cllr John Calway (Con, Longwell Green) said: "It is fraud."

Therese Gillespie, director for children and young people, said other projects would not be cancelled.

She added: "We get a complete rebuild of one of our secondary schools for only £500,000."

Kind Edmunds is set to become a federated academy with The Ridings High School, in Winterbourne, under a Pathfinder proposal.

Names for both new academies were announced this week; King Edmunds will become The Ridings’ Federation Yate International Academy and The Ridings will be known as The Ridings’ Federation Winterbourne International Academy.

Roger Gilbert, current headteacher at King Edmunds has been appointed principal at the Yate academy and Rob Evans, deputy headteacher at The Ridings will be principal at the Winterbourne academy.

Dr Rob Gibson, current headteacher at The Ridings, has already been named chief executive principal of both academies.

Questions over his appointment to the role, which the Gazette exclusively revealed last week, were again raised at the cabinet meeting.

Cllr Ruth Davis (Lib Dem, Yate Central) said: "If I were Dr Gibson I would have wanted to know that it was clear and transparent how I got the job.

"But there is a great big question mark over it."

Dr Gibson said last week that it would not be appropriate to comment on the issue.

The council will now write to Minister of State for Schools, Jim Knight, to formally raise concerns over the Pathfinder process.

Ms Gillespie said: "We cannot undo what has been done but we do have concerns."

The council agreed to formally close The Ridings and King Edmunds ahead of the two schools becoming academies at the start of the new term in September.

New uniforms will be identical for all students, except for a badge identifying the Yate and Winterbourne academies. The DCFS will pay for key items of uniform for all students in Years 8 to 11.