Legal threat to Mayor's plan for 10 academies

BORIS JOHNSON'S plans for 10 new city academies across London ran into difficulty today as it emerged they could face legal challenges.

The Mayor, who announced his ambitious scheme to great acclaim at the Tory party conference, wants to boost educational achievement in the capital. He has pledged £20 million of London Development Agency money to sponsor the schools, or £2 million per school, with the Government funding the rest.

However, it was claimed today that his proposal could contravene the Greater London Authority act which limits the Mayor's powers.

Under section 31 of the act, Mr Johnson is forbidden from spending money on projects which could be funded by local councils.

Barrister Joanne McCartney, deputy chair of the London Assembly's economic development committee, warned LDA chief Peter Rogers that the city academies plan could run into "legal difficulties" as a result.

Mr Rogers said: "We are not interfering with local authorities in this function.

"I think this is a very complex area but realistically the LDA invests in an awful lot of areas which are the responsibility of local authorities."