A £150million masterplan to transform Blackburn with Darwen's secondary education could hit taxpayers' pockets due to a predicted £6.3million funding deficit.

The local authority aims to build three new super schools and carry out major makeovers and refurbishments across schools in the borough by 2011.

The move is part of the national Building Schools for the Future (BSF) initiative which has already brought benefits to Burnley and Pendle.

But the £150million vision to "secure excellent outcomes for children and families well into the 21st century" has already hit controversy with the council's education department confirming there is likely to be a £3.8million shortfall.

That figure is based on the predicted funding they will receive from the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) which allocates money based on a complex formula which calculates the sizes of the proposed building projects and the number of pupils who will benefit.

And the deficit could rise by a further £2.5million - due to predicted extra costs to ensure the affected sites are up to scratch known as "site abnormals."

Leader of the Tory opposition on Blackburn with Darwen Council, Colin Rigby, said: "They should have made a more realistic bid and we are faced with prospect the costs of the funding gap will fall mainly on the general taxpayer."

But Coun Maureen Bateson, executive member for children's services, stressed the funding shortfall was only an "estimate".

She said: "Should there be a shortfall in development costs and site abnormals, they will not fall on school budgets."

She added the council was hoping to identify "capital receipts" - the sale of council land / property - to bring the deficit down further.

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