NEARLY £3.5 million is going to be spent on schools maintenance in the coming year, after a decision taken at a council meeting on Thursday.

The work varies from a heating system from Huntington School’s gym and sports hall to rewiring at Clifton Green and Fishergate Primaries and roof work at six schools across the city.

The council is moving £2 million of “basic need” education money into the repairs pot to help fund the work.

Education director Jon Stonehouse said this move was proposed because “put simply, our school estate needs it”.

“If we don’t make that additional investment we will lose valuable classroom space, and end up having to spend the basic need [money] anyway to recreate it, because we haven’t maintained,” he added.

St Mary’s and Westfield primary schools are both in line for £600,000 projects to create more classroom space, kitchen space, and dining space.