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Fresh hope for Catholic school
Reporter: KAREN DOHERTY
Date online: 15 July 2010
Fear of compensation claim may sway Government
OLDHAM’S new £30 million Catholic high school could go ahead in a bid to avoid a huge compensation claim.
There is speculation that the Government could give the green light for the new secondary in Broadway, Chadderton, along with £26 million rebuilding work at North Chadderton School.
The two projects were put under review when education secretary Michael Gove scrapped the £55 billion Building Schools for the Future programme.
Hundreds of new secondary school building projects were scrapped nationally, including several in Oldham. Plans to replace five of the borough’s schools with academies are also being reviewed.
Oldham had chosen two contractors to build its academies and replace or refurbish its other crumbling secondaries, however the packages had not been signed.
But Councillor Jack Hulme, cabinet member for children, young people and families, said that the individual deals for the RC school, combining Our Lady’s and St Augustine, and North Chadderton had been completed.
The latter was only agreed a week before the Government axe fell, with work on both due to start in January.
Councillor Hulme denied that they had been rushed through amid fears about the what ministers were about to do.
He believes that the Government would be liable for any compensation from builder Balfour Beatty if they did not go ahead.
“As far as the council is concerned, we have acted in good faith and we have proceeded accordingly,” said Councillor Hulme.
“If there was any appeal for compensation, my guess would be that the appeal would be lodged with the secretary of state.
“As far as I am concerned these two schools are still in with a chance — I wouldn’t like to say how good the chance is.
“The chief executive, council leader Howard Sykes and myself have all met with ministers and had various discussions to why these two schools should go ahead.”
Comments
This fantasitic news, a state of the art school for Oldham and it would also allow the academy to be built on the site of Our Lady's.
i wouldnt get your hopes up on this.
dependant on how the contract was drawn up between balfour beatty and the council, the only ones usually liable for paying out compensation on a cancelled project would be the client.
that would be ombc. therefore the government should have any fears at all.
my advice to them, leave it well be! we dont want yet another massive "vance miller" type bill to pay for!
The ones who are likely to suffer the most are the youngsters - regardless of any compensation squabbles. I am not in favour of academies as many of them are simply 'shiny on the outside' but nothing changes within (albeit there may be exceptions).
Darenn..there are also hundreds of people in favour now the plans are out-not least those with kids attending a dirty, crumbling school like Our Lady's - not sure why, but its very "grubby" round the edges compared to many - even St Augustines. I have been on both recently, so I know.
Sadly, a few new schools up in't hills is hardly likely to be a priority in London, perhaps the two schools should merge into one "free school" - a scheme the tories seem to favour.Well done Jack Hulme -keep at it
But even if OMBC did have to compensate the builders, I suspect it would still be a batter and cheaper solution to simply improve/extend Our Lady's as the Catholic secondary school for Oldham.
I am not sure why Folkdeejay has been touring schools, but I am very surprised to read his comments on Our Lady's.
Have Your Say
Nobody wants this merge to happen anyway. Hundreds of people protested against this academy, but it looks like a suspect type deal was rushed through. Shame on all involved.
By darrenn @ 15/07/2010 13:07:50