Backlog of repairs needed in Barnsley schools to cost more than £6m – here are all the repairs to be completed this year

The Department for Education has given Barnsley Council just £631,000 for repairs this financial year – but the backlog of repairs is estimated to cost up to £6.6m over the next five years.

More than £2.8m is needed just to address high priority works in schools, which must be completed within 18 months.

A report to the council’s cabinet states that DofE funding is ‘insufficient’, and it is ‘highly unlikely’ that the council will be able to make any medium priority repairs this year.

Work to be undertaken

The report states that he proposed works are necessary to “address urgent building condition defects, including health and safety and safeguarding measures”.

Health and Safety works – £93,302

Asbestos removal – £23,000

Other H&S, safeguarding works and SEN alterations – £40,302Supporting unplanned emergency and safeguarding works on schools.Support for early years and family centres – £30,000

Birdwell Primary – Slate Roof Replacement, Phase 2 – £150,000

The project will continue work to renew the original slate roof that is suffering from cracked, spalled and slipped roof tiles.

The works are expected to take eight weeks, spanning the holiday period.

Brierley CE Primary roofing works – £80,000

The school’s leaking flat roof over the school hall will be replaced over the summer holidays, and will include insulation and new rof lights.

Oxspring Primary roofing works – £25,000

The flat roof over the year five and six classrooms, which is causing damp and mould, will be replaced over the summer holidays.

Thurgoland CE Primary electrical works – £60,000

A fire risk assessment deemed new electrical distribution boards and cabinets are necessary, due to the lack of fire compartments around the main electrical distribution boards.

Millhouse Primary electrical repairs £75,000

A Mechanical and Electrical Condition Survey identified a number of defects in the school’s electrical systems.

The majority of these were identified as priority D1, meaning the installation is Bad, Life Expired and/or at serious risk of imminent failure.

Work to replace the distribution boards, and rewire electrics will take place over the summer holidays.

Gawber Primary drainage works and playground resurfacing – £140,000

The school’s playground – which is ‘surface broken and sunken in places’ and has ‘resulted in numerous incidents over the years’ – will be resurfaced.

Additional gullies will be installed to remove surface water.

Thurlstone Primary drainage works and playground resurfacing – £80,000

As part of a health and safety inspection, the condition of the school playground was picked up as ‘major concern,’ with areas breaking up, uneven surfaces and sunken drainage gullies, which will be addressed.

Cawthorne CE Primary play area refurbishment -£30,000

The play area’s rubber surface will be replaced with hard standing, as it has hardened, and gaps have formed creating trip hazards.

Timber framing, which has ‘perished’ will also be removed.

Greenfield Primary drainage works – £20,000

The drainage system between the nursery unit and main school site is in a “poor state of repair”, and will be replaced.

Silkstone Primary entrance driveway resurfacing – £18,000

The school’s tarmac driveway, which has “significant potholesand trip hazards” will be resurfaced.