CRUMBLING schools across the region need £450m of repairs in the next five years, The Northern Echo can reveal.

The figure is more than double the sum that was needed ten years ago, despite the Government spending millions to improve facilities.

In 1996, civil servants revealed that £172m was needed to keep North-East schools open for the following five years.

Today's huge repair bill for dilapidated buildings, ageing roofs and dangerous windows comes despite a huge investment programme by the Government in recent years.

Local authorities and their schools need to find £150m within the next two or three years to carry out urgent repairs. The total schools repair bill over five years is £450m.

Last night, a spokesman for the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) defended the Government's record.

He said capital funding for schools - to repair or replace dilapidated infrastructure such as classrooms - has increased six-fold in real terms in the past decade.

Elaine Kay, the National Union of Teachers' north regional secretary, said: "It is alarming that there is still all this work to be done.

"Parents should be concerned that their children are going to school in dilapidated buildings."

The Government's Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme has promised to rebuild and refurbish every secondary school in the country, following decades of neglect. But it has been very controversial.

While Durham County Council has been awarded £400m of BSF money,

Darlington Borough Council has been told it must wait until 2016 to be included in the full programme.

Earlier this year, the Government announced a £7bn investment programme to refurbish and replace 50 per cent of the primary schools in the country.

But this money is years away from being seen on the ground.

In this region, Durham County Council and Newcastle City Council have the largest backlog of urgent school repairs, costing £26m and £27m respectively.

In Darlington, where a number of new schools have opened in recent years, the council is facing a £7m repair bill over the next two years - and £12m over five years. A recent report to Darlington Borough Council's cabinet revealed essential work was needed at Longfield, Branksome, Hurworth and Hummersknott secondaries and Heathfield, Red Hall and Abbey primaries.

Longfield headteacher Keith Cotgrave said: "A lot of schools were built in the 1960s with a 1950s mentality, 40 years down the line they are dramatically out of date.

"We could easily spend £100m just to repair, refurbish and replace schools in Darlington.

Mick Lyons, North- East executive member of the teaching union, the NASUWT, said: "The figures don't surprise me because there have been decades of neglect in school buildings.

"The current Government investment should have been put into schools 20 years ago"

Mr Lyons, a teacher in Durham City, said almost all the schools in County Dur-ham needed some repairs.

This should be addressed in the secondary sector by the £400m BSF programme. However, schools in Durham City may not be rebuilt and replaced for another decade.

A spokesman for the DfES said: "The need for repairs and refurbishment amongst North-East authorities is in line with other regions.

"We are ensuring that all young people are being taught in buildings that can enhance their learning and provide the facilities that they and their teachers need to reach their full potential."

ä Too high a price? - Page 5