CRUMBLING schools are to miss out on £8million of repairs because the money is being spent on new council offices instead.

A row erupted after Caerphilly councillors decided to redirect the cash to build new offices for 700 staff instead of spending it on school buildings.

The money was earmarked for schools under Plaid Cymru control but the new ruling Labour group decided to press ahead with the project to build civic offices.

A special meeting of the council approved plans to spend a total of £20million on new offices at Tredomen Business Park.

Councillor Allan Pritchard, a governor of two schools in Oakdale, said: "Many of our schools need urgent attention. Now the council is going to move into an ivory tower while many of our children are being taught in temporary buildings."

He said when Plaid took control of the council five years ago £20million was needed to bring all Caerphilly schools up to scratch. He added: "I don't know how councillors who are governors are going to show their faces at their schools.

"The authority could have looked into funding the new offices through partnerships or investors."

The offices would replace the authority's Ystrad Fawr base, which is on the site of Caerphilly Local Health Board's preferred site for a new hospital for the county borough.

Council leader Harry Andrews said it would help progress the hospital scheme as quickly as possible.

He said: "We have been advised that spending plans in areas such as education can be re-prioritised and progressed using other funding mechanisms."

Independent councillor Graham Simmonds said he had suggested two alternative sites, in Britannia and Maesycwmmer, for the hospital which would have avoided any need for new offices.

An all-party steering group was also set up to manage construction of the new building, which will incorporate some facilities for use by the community.