A teachers union expressed anger last night after Schools Minister Andrew Adonis appeared to sanction the creation of seven city academies in Birmingham.

Officially, the Government is still in talks with the authority over plans to set up the controversial independently-run, privatelysponsored schools.

But writing in The Birmingham Post today, Lord Adonis - chief architect of the academy drive - gives a clear indication Birmingham City Council's plans are poised to be accepted

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"We strongly support their excellent plan to introduce seven new academies across the city, working alongside other schools, and we will provide the investment to make this possible," he writes.

Lord Adonis praises Birmingham's "bold vision" to turn seven struggling schools into academies as part of a restructuring of secondary education.

City academies are the flagship of Tony Blair's education reforms but are opposed by many, including more than 70 Labour backbenchers.

Birmingham's breakaway proposals eliminate some of the more controversial aspects of the drive and have not been tried out anywhere else.

A spokesman for the Department for Education and Skills said: "Officially, negotiations are still going on. It comes down to the detail but, in broad terms, the work that is going on is being supported."

The Birmingham branch of the National Union of Teach-ers claimed the academies were being rail-roaded through without proper consultation.

"The question is 'who has decided this?'" said Bill Anderson, deputy general secretary of the NUT's Birmingham branch.

"As far as I understand, no head teachers have been consulted or governing bodies informed.

"Why isn't the community that is Birmingham being consulted? This is going to change the whole face of Birmingham education so we want to know what support can the council claim for this."

City academies are the Government's answer to addressing failing inner-city schools.

The programme involves replacing them with new US-style publicly-funded academies, independent from the local authority, and sponsored by a private business, charity, individual or organisation.

The sponsor puts up #2 million of the #25 million cost and in return gets significant control over the curriculum.

The seven secondaries Birmingham is proposing should become city academies are: The Heartlands High in Nechells; The College High in Erdington; Kings Norton High in Kings Norton; St Alban's in Highgate; Sheldon Heath; Shenley Court in Selly Oak; and Harborne Hill in Edgbaston.

Unlike the Government version, the Birmingham academies will not be allowed to set their admissions or pay and conditions.

More than one sponsor would also be required, preventing any one organisation gaining too much influence.

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