Surrey Council will not ask local taxpayers to fund 775 extra school places despite financial pressure.

In approving school expansion plans across Surrey on December 16, the council decided not to borrow £5m to fund the projects.

Council leader, David Hodge, said borrowing money was not an acceptable option as it would cost Surrey taxpayers £200m that would take 40 years to pay back.

He said: "I am not prepared as leader of this council to sanction such a situation so we will not borrow any more money to fund school places.

"Without a move by government to provide Surrey with adequate funding there can no longer be any guarantee that the county’s children will continue to be provided with a school place."

He blamed the central government for creating school places shortages as it had repeatedly failed to provide the necessary funding.

The council is obliged to provide 13,000 extra school places in the next five years.

Among the schools to expand are St Alban’s Catholic Primary School, West Molesey, with 210 places.