GWENT councils claim they are being sent back to the drawing board after the Assembly announced changes to the way it will fund ambitious school make-over plans.

All councils in Wales have submitted proposals for the Assembly’s 21st Century Schools programme, which will transform Welsh schools over the next 25 years.

Councils had widely thought that the Assembly would contribute around 70 per cent of the cash needed for the investment plans, although no formal agreement was made.

But the Assembly announced last week that due to budget cuts imposed from Westminster, from 2014 onwards it will contribute only 50 per cent of the funds.

Education minister Leighton Andrews said officials would now be writing to all councils to ask them to review their original plans - a move which has disappointed Gwent's local authorities.

Leader of Caerphilly council Cllr Allan Pritchard described the Assembly’s decision as a "betrayal".

The authority’s cabinet member for education Cllr Phil Bevan added: "This decision means we will have to re-draft the whole 21st century schools plan because the Welsh Labour Government has cut its funding from 70 per cent to 50 per cent and it is likely we face having to make very painful decisions."

Newport’s cabinet member for education and young people Cllr David Atwell said the authority was "very disappointed".

He said: "While I understand the rationale behind the decision, Newport and other Welsh councils put a lot of work and effort into preparing bids for the 21st century schools programme and will now have to go back to the drawing board."

Monmouthshire council’s chief education officer Andy Keep said the council was "really disappointed", and would be meeting to look at how its plans could now be taken forward.

A spokeswoman for Blaenau Gwent council said funding was already in place for its ambitious plans at The Learning Works site in Ebbw Vale, but they too would have to review their review their 21st century schools proposals in response to the Assembly’s announcement.

Torfaen council spokesman said the authority sympathised with the Assembly's predicament, and would work closely with them to review plans in light of the new funding position.

‘Help still available to councils’ - Assembly

THE Assembly said Mr Andrews' announcement did not mean councils had to go back to the drawing board, but will ensure resources are available for their long-term investment programmes.

The original bid submitted to the Assembly by Monmouthshire council contained plans worth a total of £209 million pounds. The authority had expected the Assembly to meet 70 per cent of this cost.

Torfaen's plans were worth £266 million and Blaenau Gwent's £152 million.

Caerphilly was hoping it would be able to make improvements costing £400 million, and Newport proposed projects worth a total of £52.5 million.