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£27.92M Capital Investment to Rebuild Flood Damaged Primary Schools
Dated: 06/08/2008
£27.92M Capital Investment to Rebuild Fllod Damaged Primary Schools
- Funding for schools in Hull, East Riding, Worcestershire and Merton damaged in ‘once in a generation’ floods -
Schools Minister Jim Knight today announced £27.92m new capital funding for Hull, East Riding, Worcestershire and Merton - to rebuild new primary schools and prevent future damage after last summer’s unprecedented flooding.
Today’s funding, following the worst floods in a generation, is on top of £133m Government has already made available to flood-hit communities, including funding for schools, transport and businesses – and a further £2.15bn being invested over three years in flood defences and coastal erosion risk management in England.
Today’s funding announcement for prevention of future damage is:
- Hull £15.2m – on top of £15.6m the local authority has received to date for flood recovery;
- East Riding £6.9m - on top of £15.2m received to date;
- Worcestershire £5.586m - on top of £3.7m received to date; and
- Merton £240,000 - on top of £156,500 received to date.
All 857 flood damaged schools in England opened within days of the school year starting last September – with only a handful in temporary premises – after ministers announced £13.36m of immediate recovery grants for 47 affected local authorities.
But ministers also said they would step in with additional funding towards long-term capital building projects, which local authorities could not reasonably be expected to cover.
Schools Minister Jim Knight said:“We promised to give long-term support to areas badly affected by last summer’s unprecedented floods and carefully considered how each bid from these four areas fitted into their ongoing capital investment plans. Today I am delighted to announce additional funding for all of them.
“Our priority last summer was to get funding to the frontline as soon as possible to reduce immediate direct pressures on local authorities’ revenue budgets. Staff, parents and governors worked tirelessly last summer holidays to make sure that the vast majority of schools opened on time.
“But we also promised to step in with further capital funding where areas could not reasonably be expected to cover long-term costs.
“I pay tribute to the professionalism of staff in the worst damaged schools, who have faced very challenging circumstances over the last year. Today’s funding should give those areas a big boost in addressing the long-term rebuilding work and flood defence work.”
Floods Recovery Minister John Healey said:
"Last year's floods were the worst for a generation. They affected 48,000 homes and more than 850 schools. But thanks to the extraordinary efforts of local authorities, all children were able to return to classes - if not their classrooms – last September.
"This extra Government money is very welcome support for councils who, 12 months on, continue to work hard to help their communities get back to normal.
"It is on top of £133 million of funding Government has already provided to flood-hit areas over the last year and shows we remain committed to supporting communities for the long haul."
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