Backlog of maintenance works in Barnsley schools tops £7m

Barnsley schools are facing a backlog of maintenance works which are forecast to cost more than £7m over the next five years according to a new report.
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The report to Barnsley Council’s cabinet states that the authority has been allocated £667,384 funding from the Department for Education this financial year – a reduction of £91,000 from the previous year.

These figures have increased by more than £1.9m since 2021-22, following the receipt of new mechanical, electrical and roofing condition surveys that have been undertaken by the council’s property team on a small number of schools.

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Barnsley schools are facing a backlog of maintenance works which are forecast to cost more than £7m, over the next five years according to a new report.Barnsley schools are facing a backlog of maintenance works which are forecast to cost more than £7m, over the next five years according to a new report.
Barnsley schools are facing a backlog of maintenance works which are forecast to cost more than £7m, over the next five years according to a new report.
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The report adds that the DforE funding will be “insufficient” to deal with high priority repairs, and any medium priority repairs will be “unlikely” to be addressed.

More than £3.4m of works are classed as high priority, to be completed within 18 months, and a further £3.4m of works are classed as medium priority, to be completed within three years.

An additional £578,000 of works are to be completed within five years – leaving Barnsley Council with a total bill of £7.4m of works to complete over the next five years.

Work to be undertaken

The report states that the works listed below “are necessary to address urgent condition works, Health and Safety remedial works and safeguardingconcerns”

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However, it is not a complete list of priority work, only the works deemed most pressing.

Milefield Primary – Roof Replacement £516,899

The existing roof at the school was recovered eight years ago using a specialist surface treatment, which has since begun to fail around central glazing areas.

Due to the complicated nature of the project, developing a scheme to address the issues has proved difficult and various proposals have proved undeliverable, states the report.

A specialist, with knowledge of this type of building has been appointed, and the first stage of works will begin this summer.

Birdwell Primary – Slate Roof Replacement £290,000

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Re-roofing will remedy the cracked and slipped roof tiles on the original slate roof .

Oxspring Primary – Roofing works £55,000

The breathable roof membrane will be replaced with a felt, ventilation will be installed and an access point to a bat roost will be created.

Summer Lane Primary – Formation of gender-neutral toilet facilities £25,000

This proposal will split the existing large female staff toilets into a smaller room for female staff members and two additional independent, self-contained toilet rooms to provide gender-neutral toilet facilities.

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At the same time, high priority defects within the toilets will be fixed.

Thurgoland C of E Primary – School Meals Kitchen refurbishment £30,000

Kitchen flooring will be replaced with non-slip vinyl and existing units will be fixed to the wall.

Gawber Primary – Formation of new approach and resurfacing works £85,000

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This scheme will form a new approach to the school and stop parents, pupils, and visitors from having to use the main driveway to access the main entrance.

Milefield Primary – Reinstatement of grounds following the closure of the community farm £30,000

Grimethorpe Community Farm operates out of the school site in the former caretaker’s house.

Following the school’s conversion to an Academy in July 2021, notice was given that their lease would not be renewed, and alternative accommodation had to be found.

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The funding is to reinstate the grounds back to grass, as they were before the farm occupied the site.

Health and Safety schemes £202,384

Health and safety schemes for schools across the borough include asbestos removal, fire protection works, legionella remedial works, safeguarding works and SEN alterations.