BLACKBURN with Darwen schools will have to pay to convert to academy status in the future.

Schools are entitled to a Department for Education (DfE) grant to prepare for conversion (£37,000 for PFI schools).

The local authority receives no additional funding in order to deal with the financial impact and increased workloads associated with the conversion work.

To date 11 schools in the borough have converted to academies and all associated costs have been borne by the council.

Now bosses say the current financial climate means the approach of the council absorbing the costs of the associated works is no longer sustainable and financial contributions from the schools undertaking an academy conversion are required.

The current market rate being set by other councils is between £5,000.00 and £10,000 per conversion.

Charges will vary on a case by case basis depending on the complexity of the conversion and the status of the school.

Primary schools are to be charged between £5,000-£6,500 for conversion, while the cost for secondary schools will be between £6,000-£7,500.

Borough education boss, Cllr Maureen Bateson, said: “The council are aware of several schools that are considering converting to an academy, therefore increasing the demands on the services provided by the local authority.

“Schools preparing to convert will be asked to plan for this contribution in their conversion process and the budget as appropriate.

“The proposals will ensure that the council is reimbursed for costs incurred in facilitating the academy conversions.

“Prospective academies receive a grant of £25k (£37k for a PFI school) from the DfE which can be used to reimburse the council for the work undertaken.”

St Silas Primary School in Blackburn was the most recent to convert to an academy.

The school in St Silas’s Road has been taken over by Cidari multi-academy trust, which also runs Darwen St James’ primary, St Luke and St Philips primary in Blackburn, St Aidan’s primary in Blackburn and St Barnabas primary in Darwen, as well as academies in Nelson, Burnley and Blackpool.

The school site is already owned by the Blackburn Diocesan Board of Education consisting of the hard standings and buildings therefore no transfer of land or buildings was required.