The Audit Commission will warn today that government rules mean that much of an £8bn investment in school buildings is failing to get to those who need it most.
The Whitehall watchdog will say that too much of the money is distributed according to the number of pupils rather than the condition of buildings and that the system for allocating funds is riddled with problems.
Spending on school buildings is expected to reach £5.1bn a year by 2005-06.
But the Audit Commission says half the property services departments of local education authorities are unsatisfactory or poor.
References: Financial Times 20/02/03 page 13, The Times 20/02/03 page 2
