Think Carillion was bad? Wait until you hear about the financial scandal engulfing our children’s academies
Taking a short train journey across almost anywhere – in my case east London – and keeping an eye out for corporate signs is the best way to understand how dependent we’ve become on outfits like Carillion. As Carillion’s collapse continues and it reels from fresh allegations of dodging pension obligations while dishing out dividends, many will say the firm was just one rotten apple.
But another story broke this weekend: six of the 10 largest academy trusts have issued warnings over pay, short-staffing, building safety and financial risks. The trusts cover hundreds of English schools. There’s a disturbing whiff of Carillion about this. Inadequate state investment? Check. Unaccountable, profiteering management? Check. The lines between private and public provision relentlessly blurred, leaving both sides over-exposed? Check.
