PARENTS, teachers and community groups across Essex will be able to set up and run their own schools under Government plans.

Education Secretary Michael Gove announced he will be relaxing planning laws to make it easier to set up new, state-funded independent schools, known as “free schools”.

Mr Gove claims they are a way of raising achievement in areas where local authority-run schools are not providing good quality education.

An initial £50million has been set aside to cover start-up costs for free schools across the country.

Stephen Castle, Essex county councillor responsible for education, said: “We are very supportive of it and it is a great opportunity to offer diversity in education across the county.

“While I am keen to support this scheme, as it will make the education system better, it is important there is not a reduction in funding for other schools.

“I understand the concerns of certain schools that it may take away some of their pupils and we don’t want it to damage the education of pupils in certain schools.

“This is the early stages of the announcement and I have asked my officers to get in touch with the Department for Education to find out more about the scheme.”

However, the scheme has been met with opposition from some members of the National Union of Teachers, who claim it will destabilise the current system.

Jerry Glazier, general secretary for the Essex division of the NUT, said: “I do not think it is a good idea, as it could have a potentially devastating impact on current local provision.

“It will take pupils from existing schools, which will mean class sizes will reduce and will result in a reduction in the schools’ budgets. It will put a strain on the local and national schools expenditure.”