South Gloucestershire’s Labour councillors are celebrating the news that a powerful council committee has supported the refurbishment of a Filton primary school.
Filton Hill Pimary has been in the running for a major £2 million refurbishment scheme from South Gloucestershire Council’s (SGC’s) capital resources, but the scheme was put under question because of the demand on the council’s limited resources.
However, at this afternoon’s meeting of the SGC Policy and Resources Committee, councillors across party agreed to recommend the scheme’s continued inclusion in the programme. If endorsed by Full Council on Wednesday 20th March, work would start next financial year with the majority of the scheme being delivered over the following two years.
The committee agreed a number of sources of funding to meet its overall capital programme, including £2 million from funds now freed up by a developer contribution, £2 million from selling surplus council property and a provisional £2 million figure set aside against the possible future sale of the council’s Thornbury offices.
Speaking after the meeting, Labour’s Lead Member on Resources issues Cllr Adam Monk (Filton, pictured above), said:
“My colleagues and I are delighted that the threat to the Filton Hill Primary scheme appears to have been lifted, as I am confident that the capital budget will be approved by Council on 20 March. Our children deserve to be educated in a safe and comfortable environment.”
“Unfortunately there are still huge demands for capital work across the district that the council cannot possibly meet because savage cuts mean that our funds are really scarce. Last year the government rejected the council’s application to its Priority School Building programme for central funding for a new school, and we face a huge challenge just to meet the basic need of supplying enough primary places for our youngest children.”
Source: South Gloucestershire Labour
Related link: Schools in Filton (The Journal)
