By Joe Locker, Local Democracy Reporter
A Nottingham councillor says “much more funding” is needed to address a £25m repairs backlog across many of the city’s schools.
Nottingham City Council has been given more than £2.6m by the Department for Education (DfE) as a maintenance grant to improve the condition of school buildings.
The annual amount 2022 to 2023 was confirmed in April last year, and the Government awarded the city a total of £2,679,416.
Around £1,350,000 has already been allocated, and during an Executive Board meeting on May 23 the remaining £1,329,416 was allocated to several schools across Nottingham which are in need of investment.
However, council documents reveal the overall condition liability for schools in Nottingham is approximately £25m and is “significantly greater than the funding available”.
There is therefore an inadequate amount of funding available to complete all works, and the council has been forced to prioritise certain maintenance schemes.
During the meeting Cllr Pavlos Kotsonis (Lab), who represents Lenton and Wollaton East, said: “They are very important issues… like asbestos and leaking roofs.
“If there is funding then we welcome that and it is great news.
“The thing that is really important here and this is worth saying funding is in short supply.
“So our [condition liability] is at £25m, the funding is nowhere near that.
“Much more is needed to address those problems.”
The schools are located in areas such as Bulwell, Radford and Carrington.
Crabtree Farm Primary School, in Bulwell, will receive £250,000 for repairs to roofing, as well as a new access ramp and health and safety work costing £180,000.
Southwold Primary School, in Radford, will similarly get £140,000 towards a roofing programme, as well as a further £140,000 towards an asbestos removal programme.
Claremont Primary School will also get £150,000 towards roof replacement.
Carrington Primary School will get £150,000 towards a boiler replacement alongside Sherwood-based Seely Primary School, which will receive £140,000 towards a replacement boiler.
The remaining £179,416 has been left over for any future contingency work.
Catherine Underwood, the corporate director for people services, which includes education, said the funding will allow for “important investment in our local schools”.
And Cllr David Mellen (Lab), the leader of the council who represents the Dales ward, added: “It is great to see roofs being replaced, asbestos being removed, boilers being replaced.
“It is beneficial for our schools and also for our carbon neutral ambitions.”
