THE Buildings School for the Future team insists it CAN persuade the Government not to scrap plans for Bridgwater's six new schools.

BSF Somerset director Julia Ridge said: “Some of these schools are overcrowded, some are unsuitable and some have the worst buildings in the county.

“We can justify our value for money, that we are able to deliver and that it would be wasteful for us not to continue.

“We are experienced at delivering on time and to budget will hope this will help persuade the Government that the schools should go ahead.”

County councillor John Osman, cabinet member for children and young people, added: “Personally, I am sure that the Building Schools for the Future scheme in Bridgwater is money well spent and I will be lobbying my hardest to see it goes ahead in some way.”

Bridgwater MP Ian Liddell-Grainger wrote the following to Education Secretary Michael Gove: “Whatever the overall shortcomings of the previous government's Building Schools for the Future programme, the arrangements for Bridgwater were agreed and well advanced.

“The legal contract signings were but a few short days away. Everything that could have been done, had been done - properly and fully.

“Now the work of several years appears to be in jeopardy.

“I believe that updating our schools is absolutely vital to the future economy of the area.”

Mr Liddell-Grainger has also threatened to march on Downing Street in protest at the Government's decision, and he gave his backing to the Mercury's Save Our Schools campaign.

“The whole town will be behind you,” he added.