CITY schools are set to turn away groups ranging from girl guides to junior footballers because they face a bill of tens of thousands just for opening up.

Around 20 schools across Liverpool are facing the scenario due to a clause in a private finance deal negotiated by Liverpool council.

In 2001, it was announced the schools would be either rebuilt or remodelled in a £300m deal signed by the council, with Jarvis PLC tasked with providing facilities management services for the schools such as cleaning, grounds maintenance and site management for 30 years.

But when Jarvis walked away after hitting financial difficulties, the council renegotiated the contract in 2007 with the project’s PFI holding company, LSSL.

The new deal allows the sub-contractor Hochtief, which took over the facilities management of the schools, to make charges of up to £47 an hour to provide caretakers, heating, lighting, cleaning and site management for “third party” use before 8am and after 6pm.

This relates to anything not strictly a school-run event including junior football and cricket teams, bands, Brownies, signing choirs, chess clubs, private aerobics classes, independent “silver surfer” adult learners groups, dance troupes, and gifted and talented pupils from other schools wishing to take advantage of the PFI schools’ grounds and modern facilities.

After legal advice, the council has agreed to pick up the £300,000 tab for such use to date, but has only agreed to pay invoices until August, meaning the schools themselves face picking up the bill.

Liverpool council stressed negotiations were “ongoing”.

But last night furious headteachers said the clause was agreed without their knowledge and would severely hamper efforts to serve and reach out to the community.

Liverpool Schools Forum, made up of city headteachers, is now considering referring the contract to the Audit Commission.

Its chairman and head of Broadgreen International secondary school, one of the PFI schools affected, Ian Andain, said: “Schools will not be able to afford to allow the use of their premises or grounds in the way they have been due to the cost.

“For the council to allow this to be part of a contract, something we were not privy to, is despicable and totally against the principle of having extended schools and supporting community cohesion.”