Schools plan in doubt

UNCERTAIN . . . North Chadderton

3 More Image(s) In Gallery

Revolutionary project facing Government review

OLDHAM’S multi-million-pound schools rebuilding programme hangs in the balance — only months before work is due to start.

Uncertainty looms over whether the borough’s crumbling secondary schools will be rebuilt and refurbished as the new Government looks at spending commitments made by Labour.

The Tory-Liberal Democrat coalition has put the £55 billion schools rebuilding programme under review, freezing plans for hundreds of new secondaries across England.
It is believed that secondary schools in authorities in the the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) project which have not yet named their contractors, including Oldham, may now lose their funding. This could hit plans to replace Saddleworth School, merge the two Catholic high schools, remodel New Bridge School and extensively refurbish Blue Coat, Crompton House, Hathershaw, North Chadderton and Royton and Crompton.

The academies project is a different story with a contractor already appointed. Plans include replacing Breeze Hill, Counthill, Grange, Kaskenmoor and South Chadderton with three academies. It is still not clear if these proposals could also be hit.

Building work is due to start this year, with the first of the new schools opening in 2012 and the overhaul completed by the end of 2014.

Michael Jameson, Oldham Council’s assistant executive director for children and young people, said: “Oldham Council remains committed to the BSF and academies programmes which we believe will deliver benefits for generations of young people for years to come.

“We understand that the new Government has tough financial decisions to make and we are closely monitoring developments but no decisions have yet been made.”

Oldham East and Saddleworth MP Phil Woolas said: “There is no need to cut the capital budget. It is political cowardice and would increase unemployment. Protecting the funding for Saddleworth School is my number one local pledge and I will fight tooth and nail to keep that funding.”

Ditching BSF would be a huge blow to Oldham’s once-in-a-lifetime plans to transform education and tackle segregation.

Oldham West and Royton MP Michael Meacher added: “It is not certain what will happen. Phil and I can make pleas but if the new Government is determined, then it will do it — unless Oldham can find a reason why it should be excluded from any general policy. We need to see if there is a way we can get special consideration.

“I will be speaking with the council immediately. If we are a couple of weeks away from naming the contractors, why can we not do that now? Let’s try and get in there first.”

However, Councillor Jack Hulme, Oldham’s Tory group leader, believes that North Chadderton and the new Catholic school may be safe.

They are among the first due be completed first and he said: “To the best of my knowledge the money is in the bank, contracts have been signed.”