THOUSANDS of pounds of tax-payers' money is being spent on a press officer just for Building Schools for the Future (BSF).

Lancashire County Council has employed a part-time press officer to deal exclusively with the BSF programme, a major shake-up of education that will see a £250million investment.

Miles Barter took up the temporary three-day-a-week post in March, and will be paid £150 a day, equalling almost £11,000 over a six-month period, to promote the BSF scheme in Burnley and Pendle.

The post, which is being funded by the children and young people's directorate, is in addition to a full-time education press officer and six others in the press office.

The appointment came weeks after a spate of negative events.

Burnley's Hameldon Community College, one of the eight new "superschools" created from the 11 existing secondary schools in Burnley and Pendle under the programme in September, was put into special measures after a damning report by Ofsted report in February.

The troubled school had already come under fire after a mobile phone recording of students fighting in class was seen on sharing website YouTube.

But Lancashire County Council defended Mr Barter's appointment, and denied he was just a "spin doctor" employed to counter negative press.

Lindsay MacFarlaine, head of corporate communications, said: "The decision was made because BSF is such a huge project, and we have a duty as an authority to inform people of what's happening.

"It is the biggest single investment ever to be made in Burnley and Pendle, and we want the community to be made aware of its magnitude.

"It is not just about schools, it will affect and benefit the whole community. "Employing a dedicated press officer to it means we are bringing in the knowledge and expertise needed to communicate this.

"BSF has generated huge interest from the press, understandably, and it was taking up a lot of our press officers' time.

"This post is not just about dealing with the media, it's about getting balanced information to the public, and getting them involved.

"In our eyes that is money well spent."