SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE'S schools are facing a massive backlog of repairs, totalling more than £40million.

The figure is the price of bringing the region's schools up to modern standards but South Gloucestershire Council says it cannot possibly foot the bill.

The price tag stands at £42,445,864 and was revealed by Conservative peer Lord Hanningfield in Parliament this week.

The staggering list of costs is said to be the result of the Government's continual refusal to provide the unitary authority with extra funding for education.

Two private finance initiative bids have been rejected, which meant South Gloucestershire Council had to pay a new school in Bradley Stoke itself.

The council has also been told it may have to wait until 2016 to be included in the Building Schools for the Future programme, which provides funding to modernise secondary schools.

The Tory parliamentary candidate for Northavon Chris Butt said: "I am very concerned that South Gloucestershire is not getting its fair share of funding and it is alarming that schools are going to have to wait so long for any hope of improvements.

"South Gloucestershire's schools are widely respected and are fortunate to have very dedicated staff, governors and parents and it is unfair to them that they are not being properly supported with modern buildings."

He claimed that South Gloucestershire's school are "chronically" under-funded and receive around the worst amount of funding in the country. He called for immediate changes.

Mr Butt added: "Another generation should not be left being educated in buildings not up to the needs of the 21st century.

"The Government should recognise that the children of South Gloucestershire deserve the kind of facilities and funding that others get."

The council's education chief, Cllr Sheila Cook, said: "It is quite true that South Gloucestershire has a large backlog of repairs, much of which was inherited from Avon.

"We have sought to try and address many of the most critical needs.

"There is a serious issue about the way funds are allocated, which results in South Gloucestershire having its bids turned down in favour of other areas.

"The council will continue to try and address as many improvements as possible but we cannot possibly afford the £42,445,864 needed to complete the challenge."