A GWENT council has a school’s maintenance backlog totalling more than £5 million but no works are considered to be urgent.
The figures were revealed after a £500m repairs backlog across Wales, including £93m of urgent works, was revealed in the Senedd.
As a result Chepstow St Kingsmark councillor Christopher Edwards asked, at Monmouthshire County Council’s March meeting, how many of the council’s 35 schools fall into the category and the council’s “immediate plan” to address the backlog.
Labour cabinet member for education Cllr Martyn Groucutt confirmed the council’s estimated maintenance backlog figures but said none of the works are considered to be urgent.
In primary schools the backlog of works that needs to be carried out stands at £3.4m and in secondary schools it is £2.1m.
Cllr Groucutt said the council has an asset management and capital strategy plan to guid investment and maintenance is carried out according to risk assessments and to determine any urgent works.
Cllr Edwards said there was “some reassurance” in Cllr Groucutt’s answer but said he still hasn’t been provided with details on planned maintenance at the Dell Primary and Chepstow Secondary schools.
He said: “That would save me having to ask the same question every council meeting.”
Cllr Groucutt also said the period of austerity had caused “belt tightening” across the public sector but also said the council has invested in new secondary schools in Caldicot, Monmouth and the King Henry 3-19 school in Abergavenny, a new nursery provision in Trellech and moving its southern pupil referral unit to refurbished premises at the former Mounton House School in Pwllmeyric.
