Barnsley schools face repair backlog of £7m – but are only given £600,000 from the Department for Education

A report to members of Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council’s (BMBC) cabinet said the funding from the Department for Education (DfE) is ‘insufficient’ to deal with high-priority school repairs.

Currently, high-priority repairs, which include roof repairs, damp and drainage problems, and hazardous playground surfaces, would cost around £2.7m to fix.

The council say it is ‘unlikely’ that any medium-priority repairs will be completed due to the lack of funding, which will ‘continue to deteriorate’ and become high priority.

While Barnsley has a significant backlog, its school buildings are said to be in a ‘generally better condition’ than some other areas of the country, and are expected to be given less funding.

The majority of the DfE funding will be spent on roof repairs, and the rest will be used for mechanical and electrical works, external and internal condition works, and health and safety works.

Health and safety works include emergency condition issues such as roof repairs, emergency boiler replacements, drainage works, collapsed floors, anddangerous lighting columns.

However, only £215,000 has been allocated to these repairs.

Schools earmarked for repair

Brierley CE Primary – Roofing Works

Millhouse Primary- Lighting to Y6 block

Oxspring Primary- Heating replacement, classroom refurbishment

Oxspring, Summer Lane, Thurgoland and Gawber – Boiler replacements

Silkstone Primary –Y5 toilet block condensation and damp

Greenfield Primary- Drainage repairs

Jump Primary – Playground resurfacing