MORE than £2 million is being set aside for vital repairs to York school buildings in the coming year.

Twenty schools in the city are lined up for between £9,000 and £141,000 from a city council pot of money, due to be confirmed next week.

Cllr Stuart Rawlings, the executive member for education, will be asked to approve the spending at a public meeting next week, and it includes funding for roof repairs, heating systems, rewiring, fire alarms, and land drainage, among other things.

The money is made up of council money, combined with direct education funds from the government, and cash handed over by developers who have built new homes nearby.

However a report prepared for Cllr Rawlings shows that the government contributions are falling, and work at five schools cannot go ahead because the money will not stretch far enough.

York Press:

The document, written by the council’s principal accountant Mike Barugh and the head of school services Mark Ellis, says they are currently in line for £1,625,000 from the Department for Education, but with more and more schools becoming academies and leaving council control that number is likely to fall.

They wrote: “This figure is based on the 2016/17 allocations with an assumed small reduction. However, due to the number of academy conversions which have taken place during 2016/17, it is likely that the actual allocation will now be lower than this figure.

“For the purposes of drawing up a programme to be funded in 2017/18, a prudent estimate of £1.39 million has been assumed.”

That £1,390,000 has been topped up with £554,000 the council plans to borrow, and £396,000 from developer contributions.

As several schools have what it calls “significant and urgent health and safety concerns” with ventilation in the kitchens, and need work on their fire alarms and emergency lighting, without the extra funds from the council it would be almost impossible to pay for any other maintenance work.

Of the £2.3 million allocated, the biggest chunk is to go to Dringhouses Primary which is in line for a £250,000 kitchen refurbishment, while £230,000 is going on the second phase of roof repairs at Carr Junior School. In total Dringhouses Primary should get £579,000 for repairs with the fire alarm, roof and wiring all in need of work as well as the kitchen. Cllr Rawlings is expected to agree the grants next year, including £182,000 for contingency funds which the report says may be needed to cope with unexpected repairs over the winter.