COUNCILS suffering massive cuts have been forced to spend more than £22 million in taxpayers’ cash on academy conversions in the last two years alone, research revealed yesterday.

The Local Government Association (LGA) said local taxpayers have subsidised schools that have become academies to the tune of £22.4m since 2011.

Town hall leaders pointed out that they’re being forced to pay to implement the Tory policy when their budgets have been cut by 40 per cent.