Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what support they provide to local authorities who want to make greater use of school premises for the benefit of the community outside school times.

The Education Act 2002 gives school governing bodies the power to run community services without the need to consult or obtain permission from local authorities. Schools have the freedom to use their estates for community facilities and can provide integrated services such as health services, childcare or adult education and work in partnership with other providers as a resource for the whole community. We do not provide support for local authorities as this is a matter for schools.