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Search forCash injection for Midsomer Norton Primary School
Friday, November 14, 2008, 10:57
The school, along with Bathford, Batheaston and Weston All Saints Church of England primary schools, will benefit from an £8 million cash injection for refurbishment and repairs between now and 2011.
Bath and North East Somerset Council has been given £3 million in the 2009/10 financial year and the Department for Children, Schools and Families will release a further £5m in 2010/11 subject to fine-tuning of the authority's plans.
The council says it has chosen the four sites after assessing the needs of all schools.
Work at the schools will include new halls, replacement classrooms, specialist rooms and IT facilities.
The council has already built three new primary schools and the new Writhlington secondary school is currently being built.
Its cabinet member for children's services Cllr Chris Watt (Con, Midsomer Norton Redfield) said: "The council has worked together with local schools to prioritise the buildings and facilities that are most in need of improvement. This funding will help the council to continue to deliver on its priorities of improved school buildings and better lives for young people.
"The council will continue to strive to provide children and young people with the best possible environments for learning."
Wansdyke MP Dan Norris has also welcomed the shot in the arm.
The funding for what the Government calls a new generation of primary schools is part of a £1.78 billion contribution to work on more than 1,500 schemes across the country.
Once local authorities' own money is pumped in, the projects to rebuild or refurbish schools will add up to investment of £3.55 billion.
Labour backbencher Mr Norris said: "This is a hugely challenging time for our economy, but it is vital that we continue to invest in our precious public services. This massive capital investment will, first and foremost, further raise the standard of education we provide for local youngsters. But, crucially it will also help support construction industry jobs, as well as local businesses which will play a key role in fitting out the new and refurbished schools."
He had said he was determined that his constituents in north east Somerset got a fair share of the new money.
Wiltshire County Council will get £10.3 million under the programme.
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