WARRINGTON Borough Council chief executive Steven Broomhead has criticised the Department for Education (DfE) over the distribution of laptops to help children learn at home.

The Government department has been working to provide laptops, tablets and wireless routers in the ‘shortest possible’ timeframe to ensure youngsters did not fall behind during school closures because of coronavirus.

It says it typically takes less than two days for an order to be dispatched after it has been placed. The deliveries started in May and have continued this month.

In an update ahead of this week’s virtual council cabinet meeting, Mr Broomhead said: “On technology, we’ve made a massive step forward in terms of the way we’ve deployed technology.

“We’ve had to make sure the IT has been upgraded, indeed we’ve had some historic moments including the first cabinet meeting last month on Teams and, of course, this one.

“We’ve also made sure we’ve delivered laptops to over 400 kids who needed them, to make sure their home education can be sorted.”

Mr Broomhead said ‘we’ve done a really good job there’ despite the ‘work of the DfE, who have put lots of barriers in our way’.

In relation to the barriers, Mr Broomhead says these were around the procurement and distribution arrangements.

He added: “It was a great offer from Government but the process has been a major struggle, it should have been a lot slicker. That is the problem we have all had.

“We have now had all our allocations and they have gone to kids who need them.”

The DfE says the Government has already committed more than £100 million to support children to learn at home, while stating the pupil premium funding – at the ‘highest ever rate’ per pupil – continues to be paid to help schools support their disadvantaged pupils.

A spokesman added: “This week, secondary schools have begun welcoming back year 10 and year 12 pupils and primary schools now have the flexibility to invite more children if they feel ready as part of our phased plans.

“We are also considering, with a range of partner organisations, what more is required to support all pupils who have been affected by school closure.

“We will do whatever we can to make sure no child, whatever their background, falls behind as a result of coronavirus.”