Medway Council is taking on a £25 million school project for more than 200 special needs children.

Initially, the authority’s trading arm Medway Commercial Group (MCG), which is currently under investigation, was overseeing the school scheme.

An internal audit and review on MCG was ordered by council chiefs following concerns over the firm’s handling of the Towns’ CCTV network.

A senior MCG staff member has been suspended pending the outcome of the inquiry led by Cllr Howard Doe, the newly-appointed chairman and deputy council leader.

During the 2019 Medway Council budget meeting last Thursday, council leader Cllr Alan Jarrett (Con) announced the authority would be taking forward the building project in Cornwallis Avenue, Gillingham.

The school, which will increase capacity for special educational needs (SEN), including pupils who suffer from autism-related conditions, was previously under the stewardship of MCG.

Labour’s spokesman for children and young people Cllr Clive Johnson said: “We have been supportive of the principle of increasing the SEN provision here in Medway long before this school was formally proposed.

“We have had major concerns throughout that MCG, which has never built a school, was not the right organisation to take forward this project.

“We welcome the announcement by the leader that this will now be taken forward by Medway Council directly.”

Labour leader Cllr Vince Maple added: “This is the right decision regarding MCG and the multi-million pound schools project.

“Medway Labour had previously called for the involvement of MCG to be suspended while the ongoing audit and investigation continues to take place.

“The different political positions regarding the future of MCG are clear for all to see.

“Medway Labour has proposed MCG should be ceased and the council should take back control of the services.

“With their track record of failure, whether it is handing back the contract for statutory services to schools or more than half of the CCTV cameras in Medway not working on their watch, it is time to stop the failed experiment that is MCG.”