Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson set up the £180m programme after the Government scrapped the Building Schools for the Future programme in 2010. Tony McDonough reports

Liverpool’s £180m schools investment programme has led to the creation of 2,000 construction jobs, a new report claims.

Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson set up the programme after the Government scrapped the Building Schools for the Future programme in 2010.

Funding came from a combination of city council and Government money, and has been used largely to improve secondary and special schools in the city.

A report analysing the impact of the scheme will be presented to the city council’s cabinet on Friday.

It comprised 16 completely new schools, three significant new builds and four extensions/new blocks.

The report says around 62%of the spending on the schemes was spent with Liverpool firms, rising to 74% across Merseyside.

The council worked with main contractors Kier, Morgan Sindall and Willmott Dixon to maximise the economic impact.

In addition to the 2,000 construction jobs, around 200 apprenticeships have also been created.

Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson said: “When the Government scrapped Building Schools for the Future in 2010, it would have been easy to wring our hands and blame it all on them.

“Instead, we invited our family of schools to come together and work with us on devising an alternative plan.

“What we have delivered since then is nothing short of remarkable. In the space of five years we have rebuilt or improved 23 schools, transforming education for thousands of current and future generations of schoolchildren.

“Along the way, we have made sure that local firms benefited from the contracts, securing existing jobs and creating new ones, and also helped develop the next generation of construction workers through apprenticeships.

The scheme also created 10 new housing sites on which 650 homes have been built to meet demand for new properties, generating valuable council tax income.

Assistant Mayor and Cabinet Member for Schools and Education Cllr Nick Small, added: “Our investment in new school buildings lays very solid foundations to ensure every child in our city gets the best education.”