A DRIVE to transform schools into academies has cost Birmingham City Council £100,000 as its staff deal with applications, the authority’s education chief has revealed.

Coun Les Lawrence, cabinet member for children, young people and families, said council staff were “working flat out” to deal with applications from schools wanting to leave local authority control.

The four schools that have moved to “convertor academy” status are Bartley Green Technology College, Lordswood Girls School, Harborne, Kings Norton Girls’ School and Ninestiles School in Acocks Green.

Another ten have applied to convert to academy status, including Stockland Green Technology College.

Coun Lawrence ordered a “financial audit” in February to determine exactly how much was being spent on handling applications.

He said a team of 17 staff were dealing with legal and HR matters concerning academy applications “in addition” to their normal workload.

“Staff are working flat out,” said Coun Lawrence, a vocal critic of Education Secretary Michael Gove’s push for more academies.

“In a sense, Mr Gove is taking money from the authority to help fund the convertor academies process at the same time as passing on front-loaded reductions.

“This is money that could be spent on other services.”

Academies are publicly-funded independent schools, free from local authority and national government control.

Other Birmingham schools which have identified an intention to convert to academy status include King Edward VI Aston School, King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys, King Edward Camp Hill for Girls, King Edward VI Five Ways School, King Edward VI Handsworth, Arthur Terry School and Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls.

Coun Lawrence’s comments came as figures from the Department for Education showed more than 600 academies were now open. Lord Hill, Minister for Schools, said he was “delighted” so many schools had switched to academy status.