Academy trust ‘made over £1m in false claims for repairs’

♦ An academy trust that runs 10 schools in England has been accused of making more than £1million of false claims for government cash.

BBC’S Panorama reported last night that Bright Tribe Trust received taxpayers’ money for building work, lighting and fire safety improvements that were either not finished or never done.

Bright Tribe, which appointed new trustees two months ago, has reportedly commissioned independent investigators to examine the grants and the spending.

Panorama revealed the trust was given £566,000 to demolish and rebuild unstable walls at Colchester Academy in Essex, but reportedly carried out a £60,000 repair using metal braces instead.

Michael Dwan, the businessman who set up Bright Tribe, told the BBC that all of the grant money had been spent at the schools, and that his companies, which carried out the work, had made a loss. He added that he was not a trustee and did not control the trusts.