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Metropolis council says it will not be reimbursed for ‘placing youngsters’s security first’ by repairing RAAC college early
Metropolis council says it will not be reimbursed for ‘placing youngsters’s security first’ by repairing RAAC college early
Sheffield council bosses worry they are going to be financially penalised for placing “youngsters’s security first” and repairing a RAAC college earlier than the federal government dedicated to reimbursing prices.
Sheffield Metropolis Council started a £620,000 mission to switch strengthened aerated autoclaved concrete (RAAC) planks from Abbey Lane Main’s roof in July.
About two months later, the federal government ordered faculties with the crumbly materials to shut with chancellor Jeremy Hunt promising to “spend what it takes” to take away the fabric.
However Sheffield schooling chiefs consider they will not be reimbursed, having used money from the £3.5 million for capital initiatives they obtain annually from the Division for Training.
‘We took motion earlier than RAAC was vital nationwide challenge’
“We requested the DfE for retrospective funding, however at this stage there aren’t any retrospective reimbursements for affected faculties the place RAAC has been eliminated or changed and paid for out of present situation funding,” a council spokesperson stated.
“If we don’t obtain reimbursement…we can have been financially penalised for performing … at an early stage. We have been placing our kids’s security first earlier than it turned a vital nationwide challenge.”
The spokesperson added that work at different faculties needed to be delayed.
She estimated inflation and the rising price of supplies would drive the authority to fork out an additional £130,000 when it did start the deferred schemes.
A tender for the work at Abbey Lane, revealed in June, stated a short lived cooking space and classroom could be constructed, earlier than the RAAC was eliminated. Contractors are anticipated to complete initially of December.
Authorities promised to ‘spend what it takes’
The DfE escalated its RAAC coverage on the finish of August by ordering 104 faculties to partially of totally shut days earlier than the beginning of the brand new tutorial 12 months. The choice was triggered by three circumstances of the concrete collapsing “with out warning”, regardless of being thought of non-critical.
Afterwards, Hunt advised the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg the federal government would “spend what it takes to ensure youngsters can go to high school safely”. Treasury officers confirmed the funding must come from inside the DfE’s present funds.
DfE steerage states it can fund refurbishment or rebuilding initiatives “the place these are wanted to rectify RAAC in faculties and faculties for the long run”.
It’s going to additionally bankroll “emergency mitigation work wanted to make buildings protected, together with the set up of different classroom area the place needed”. The money might be along with separate college situation funding.
The division has been approached for remark.
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