On Tuesday Mark Garnier MP reinforced the already strong case that he and local head teachers have been making regarding funding for Wyre Forest Schools after the cancelling of the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme in July. He did so by holding a specialised debate in Westminster Hall entitled Capital Funding for Schools in Wyre Forest.
Mark used this debate as yet another opportunity to bring the case of dilapidation and lack of space in his local schools to the fore of the Department for Education’s agenda. He held the 30 minute session with Nick Gibb MP, Minister of State for Schools, who was sympathetic to Mark’s argument. He said “one cannot help but be moved on hearing the state of the fabric in some of the buildings” and that Mark Garnier makes “a powerful case about need in his area”.
The Minister did stress that until a “root and branch” review of all capital investment in schools and sixth form colleges nothing can be known in regards to the future funding for Wyre Forest Schools in particular. However, he assured Mark Garnier, parents, students and teachers in Wyre Forest that the Department “will continue to make capital allocations on the grounds of need- particularly dilapidation and depravation- and that the end of BSF does not mean the end of school rebuilding.”
News that provided a glimmer of hope for Wyre Forest was announced yesterday by the Government. In the Comprehensive Spending Review, George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer confirmed that the Government has earmarked £15.8 billion for schools refurbishment and building. The money will be used to remodel and restore over 600 schools from the BSF and Academies Programme.
The review into which schools will benefit from this money will be published in December of this year.