Colley Lane Primary School’s bid to become an academy will be scuppered by the small print in the PFI deal which led to it being rebuilt, it has been claimed this week.

And the controversial plan to become an academy was dealt another blow this week when parents in Cradley voted overwhelmingly to keep the school under local authority control.

On Monday night governors will vote on the controversial plan to become an academy in what promises to be a stormy meeting.

Cradley councillors Tim Crumpton and Gaye Partridge welcomed the council’s determination not to be left with any costs from the PFI deal if the school becomes the first primary in the borough to go it alone.

Cllr Crumpton said: “At the full council meeting on Monday night both the leader of the council Councillor Les Jones and head of childrens services Liz Walker both said that the PFI deal will prevent Colley Lane Primary becoming an academy.

“There is no way the council will pick up the shortfall in the bill for the PFI and they are right to stick to their guns.”

Councillor Liz Walker, cabinet member for children’s services, said: “It’s been nationally recognised that there could be financial implications for those involved in the governance of private financial initiative schools that become an academy school.

“The treasury and the department for education have recently sought legal advice that has just been published on their website and we are looking at how this could affect Colley Lane Primary School.”

Councillor Gaye Partridge and Martin Lynch from the NUT balloted parents to get their views on the academy bid.

In a letter to the governors Cllr Partridge said: “It is important that you know that both the community and parents do not feel consulted or convinced that a case for Colley Lane becoming an academy is made.

“This statement is supported by the straw poll taken in the form of a yes or no ballot at the school gates which resulted in 177 people voting of which only 9 were in favour of the proposal.”