Falkland school gets ‘absolute assurance’ classrooms will be fast-tracked

Falkland Primary School has been given an “absolute assurance” from the leader of West Berkshire Council that the delayed new classrooms will be fast-tracked.

But the timeline still relies on how quickly the ‘design element’ of the plans can be carried out.

The council’s budget meeting last week heard how the delays to the build have meant the children and teachers at the school have been putting up with damp, cracked temporary classrooms.

And it was told that teachers were wasting time fixing broken toilets too.

The meeting also heard that heaters had broken and not been replaced in anticipation of the new build, which was due to get going last year.

Heather Codling (Lib Dem, Chieveley and Cold Ash), portfolio holder for education, said: “These buildings should have been built years ago.

“I also agree we should put children first. A feasibility study was carried out, not a design statement, and we have struggled to get staff in place after losing them.

"When the new director for children services came in at the end of last year, we reviewed the programme and it was prioritised.

“A design statement will be done this year… and we have moved £250,000 into the budget this year to move it forward and we can bring funds forward. We will be keeping a close eye on the project.”

The Liberal Democrat-led administration was pushed by opposition parties to support an amendment to the budget papers, meaning all the cash needed for the £2m build would be made available this year, rather than in two years.

That effort was rejected, but council leader Jeff Brooks said: “I want to give an absolute assurance we are going to fast-track this development.

“We will be getting twice monthly updates. We want to get it done as soon as practically possible.”

The council told the school about delays in the financial approval process last October.

The classrooms were due to be built last summer.

Last July the council issued an architect’s brief for tender for a £4m extension to Falkland Primary School.

The winner of the estimated £200,000-to-£300,000 contract will draw up plans for a new eight-classroom structure to replace two outdated modular buildings at the school.

The project, which is planned to complete in 2025 unless the council makes good on fast-tracking the project, will create a new “suitable, efficient and affordable” two-storey teaching block providing more energy and space efficient facilities for the 1960’s school.