Welsh Liberal Democrats have come under fire for trying to pass the buck over improvements to school buildings under Liberal Democrat local authority control.

The Lib Dems are attempting to hide their record on school buildings by blaming the Welsh Assembly Government over funding issues despite record investment in school buildings by the Labour led Assembly Government.

Welsh Labour AM Lorraine Barrett rounded on the Lib Dems after senior Lib Dem Assembly Member Peter Black ADMITTED that Lib Dem council’s like Cardiff and Swansea should shoulder the responsibility for the state of local school buildings in their care.

Welsh Labour’s Cardiff South and Penarth AM Lorraine Barrett said:

“When faced with difficult decisions the Liberal Democrats in councils across Wales look to pass to the buck. But even the Liberal Democrat’s former Assembly Education spokesman now admits that Lib Dem councils are accountable for local decisions over funding for school buildings.

'’Welsh Labour has provided over £667m to local authorities since 2004 to improve school buildings in Wales. We cannot deliver this commitment alone, and the Liberal Democrat controlled councils must take their share of responsibility for dealing with the state of school buildings locally.

‘’Calling for the Assembly Government to make sufficient resources available is not enough. It’s a question of prioritising, and Liberal Democrat local authorities must start directing some of their own money towards school buildings too.’’

3/10/07

“The basis of our governmental system is that schools are funded by democratically elected Councils and that they are the ones who should be accountable to their electorate for the decisions they take on funding.”

- Peter Black Liberal Democrat AM, Blog, 27 September 2007 http://peterblack.blogspot.com/2007/09/education-dilemma.html