INVERCLYDE Council is having to fork out £1 million a MONTH to private financiers as payment for schools despite all educational establishments being shut down by coronavirus.

The local authority has to maintain instalments under the historic Public Private Partnership (PPP) scheme that was used to help fund a major revamp of our schools estate.

The requirement for the council to continue paying private finance consortia for closed schools has today been slammed as 'immoral' by the leader of the SNP opposition group within the Municipal Buildings.

Councillor Chris McEleny said: "It has been a scandal that the council has been burdened with the toxic PPP legacy, which means that the public purse is still paying heavily over the odds in servicing decade-old debts to private companies.

"However, it is completely immoral that during the coronavirus crisis we are still having to pay for schools that have been closed to protect the NHS and save lives."

The Telegraph put the £1 million-a-month figure to the council and officials did not dispute it.

It leaves the local authority shelling out around £35,000 every day at a time then it facing unprecedented pressure on its ability to continue the delivery of essential and key services to the communities it serves.

It is understood that there is scope to temporarily alter the 31-year contracts in extraordinary circumstances.

But the council admitted today that it has not sought any such course of action, despite there being no end in sight to the coronavirus crisis.

Councillor McEleny believes that is a mistake.

He said: "The requirement to make the PPP payments is taking much-needed resources out of our communities."

An Audit Scotland report published in January concluded that the cost of repaying private finance deals used to fund new schools, hospitals and roads across the country would have a 'significant' impact on public spending.

Mr McEleny said: "Inverclyde Council will continue to pay £1 million per month to finance the controversial schemes despite all our schools closing on March 20.

"Many people believe that they won't reopen until August, so that means a whopping £5 million in total for a period the schools will remain closed."

The council's PPP schools contracts — which were signed off by the SNP government in 2008 — had a capital cost of £78m but Inverclyde will have paid back around £320m by the time they end.

The district has four PPP schools — Clydeview Academy, Notre Dame High, Aileymill Primary and All Saints Primary.

Councillor McEleny said: "Every month that we need to pay for closed schools is money spent on nothing but private profit that could be better spent supporting small businesses in our communities or investing in more health and social care workers.

"Serious consideration must be given to this by the government."

An Inverclyde Council spokesman said: "The terms are for the duration of the agreement, which is for 31 years, and also includes maintenance, cleaning and other works associated with the upkeep of the respective school buildings.

"While there is an enforced closure of all schools to help minimise the spread of coronavirus, Clydeview and All Saints are still open and being used as key worker childcare hubs, including during the Easter holidays when facilities would normally be closed.

"This has resulted in more extensive cleaning duties for staff.

"Planned maintenance and statutory compliance works are also being carried out as far as possible in all PPP schools in readiness for full re-occupation."

The spokesman added: "There are provisions in the contract to take account of highly unusual circumstances that might develop over the full contract period and both parties can seek adjustments where justified.

"As it stands, there have been no adjustments to the contract or sums being paid but this will be reviewed if circumstances change.

"The council's PPP provider has advised that it is not accessing the government coronavirus furlough scheme to support payment of staff and that all employee salaries are being paid as normal.

"The situation for PPP schools in Inverclyde reflects the position throughout Scotland."