COUNCILLORS in Worcestershire have voiced concern for the future of academies - saying they fear some may "have to close" due to financial problems.

Councillor Peter McDonald, who leads the opposition Labour group at County Hall, says it is "only a matter of time" before they run into trouble due to budget pressures.

He says the recent news in Birmingham - where crisis-hit Baverstock Academy is to shut with a £550,000 black hole in its finances - should be a warning sign to this county.

In recent years the Conservative leadership has allowed more and more schools to convert to academies or free schools, and there are now more than 60 of them across Worcestershire.

Former Education Secretary Nicky Morgan was preparing a White Paper on taking every single state school away from local authority control before it was dropped following a barrage of opposition in Tory shires.

Earlier this month bosses at the failing Baverstock Academy, ran by The Leap Trust, said it would close within 12 months after failing to attract a new sponsor.

Councillor McDonald said: "It can only be a matter of time before academies have to close in Worcestershire.

"I never thought we'd see the day, in this country, where schools would close due to finance.

"What this needs in Worcestershire is a fair and balanced debate about what we would do here in this county should any academies here start to fail."

Speaking during a full council meeting, he cited too many schools being placed in a "difficult funding situation" due to former Chancellor George Osborne.

He told the chamber Mr Osborne had frozen funding on a per-pupil basis and that inflation and pay rises for staff has worsened the situation.

"Our average academies employ four-and-a-half unqualified teachers - the cuts are putting an intolerable squeeze on schools," he said.

"This is at a time when the Government wants to spend £1.3 billion on new academy conversions."

The council agreed to accept a motion from the Labour group to look into the situation, but the Conservative leadership did criticise Councillor McDonald.

Councillor Marc Bayliss, cabinet member for children and families, accused him of having "a general rant" about academies despite it being an idea from Tony Blair's old Labour Government.

"I'd remind councillors that the academies programme was launched by the last Labour Government under Mr 'T' Blair," he said.

"I'm not a zealot on academies, I think they have driven up standards in our schools, but they may not be right for every school."

He said "for me what matters is what works, and we are seeing standards rise in our schools", before insisting there are no issues with any Worcestershire academies at the moment.