Bath and North East Somerset Council has outlined an £18.3 million investment plan to improve school buildings and expand the number of Primary School places across the district over the next five years.
The majority of the investment (£15.2m) is being funded through Government grants, with the remainder being secured through planning contributions from housing developers.
The Council has outlined plans to expand St Nicholas Primary School in Radstock, Castle Primary School in Keynsham, Bathwick St Mary Primary School in Bath and Whitchurch Primary School. There will also be improvements at Clutton, Bathampton and Swainswick Primary Schools.
Funding will also be provided for additional temporary classrooms in the Midsomer Norton area and at St Saviour’s Junior School in Bath in order to meet a short-term increase in pupil numbers expected in the coming years. The temporary classrooms are needed in Midsomer Norton now more than ever, after planning permission to build a new housing estate and primary school in the White Post area was refused last autumn by Mendip District Council. B&NES Council predicted a shortfall of spaces if the new school did not go ahead as planned, partly as a result of increased housebuilding.
Councillor Michael Evans (Conservative, Midsomer Norton, North) Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said: “This investment in local primary schools will be welcome news for parents and families across Bath and North East Somerset, and demonstrates our commitment to improving local school facilities and increasing the number of primary school places where needed across the district.
“We are fortunate to have a large number of well-regarded and popular primary schools within Bath and North East Somerset, and the vast majority of parents are already able to access their first choice of primary school. However, by planning ahead and expanding primary schools where needed, we can ensure that local families continue to have a good range of options when it comes to choosing a primary school for their children.
“As well as creating more primary school provision where needed, some of this investment will also be used to modernise and improve existing facilities. We want local children to benefit from good quality facilities and this funding will help to ensure the young people attending these schools get the most out of their education.”
School improvement schemes already within the Council’s approved capital programme will see £10.2 million spent on facilities such as the new Abbot Alphege Primary School at Ensleigh, Bath, and a range of other school expansions and improvement projects across the district. The new primary school at Somerdale in Keynsham is being directly funded by the developers.
Speaking last week, Councillor Lisa Brett (Walcot), the Lib-Dem spokesperson on Children and Young People for B&NES, welcomed the investment, but spoke of concerns about the threat to children’s services and youth clubs due to massive budget constraints which will see the local authority needing to save £49 million over the next four years, with the Leader of the Council, Tim Warren, warning of ‘fundamental changes’ being required to the way in which services are delivered.
She said: “We welcome this funding allocation, which is issued as a ring-fenced grant directly from central government. We would also like to see this administration invest some of its own funding into the education and support of B&NES children, yet sadly all we know of are proposals to cut services for children and young people locally.”