Councils have been left to foot the mulit-million pound costs of schools converting to academy status, according to new research by the Local Government Association (LGA).

According to the LGA, councils have been forced to use at least £22.4 million from their own budgets to cover the cost of schools in their areas becoming academies between 2011/12 and 2013/14.

Under current rules, when schools become academies local authorities have to pick up the tab for the costs of conversion.