Six Bolton schools in line for major works over the summer

The council's cabinet member for children's services, Martin Donaghy, approved the allocation of funding from the DfE.

Six Bolton schools – Blackrod Primary School, Claypool Primary School, Devonshire Road Primary School, Spindle Point Primary School, Green Fold Special School and Westhoughton High School – are in need of work which is above and beyond their day-to-day maintenance ranging from the replacement of pipework to the replacement of a roof as a whole.

Claypool Primary School will receive funding for a new roof, with the 1970s roof beyond repair leading to leaks in the school.

Westhoughton High School (Image: Westhoughton High School)

Amanda Hulme, head of Claypool School, told The Bolton News: "This is brilliant news, and will make a huge difference.

"We have had a problem with leaks in part of the school and this will be a huge improvement.

"This school was put forward as a priority because it had one of the worst roofs.

"It will also improve heating in the school which will bring down our energy bills too.

"We have had a contractor who comes to patch up when we have a leak and now that money can be spent on the pupils.  Work will start in the summer and the site will be secured while work takes place."

The schools in line for major works this summer costing between around £635,000 in the case of Blackrod Primary School to around £1.25m in the case of Devonshire Road Primary School.

ALSO READ: Bolton's RAAC schools to be rid of concrete at risk of collapse.

The funding from the DfE, called the Schools Condition Allocation, is for council-run schools as opposed to non-council-run schools like academies which receive their support separately.

Other Bolton schools are in line for more minor works but these are not in need of approval by cabinet member Cllr Donaghy due to the smaller sums of money involved in these schemes.

A report said: "Confirmation from the DfE of Local Authority Capital Allocations is awaited although the council are normally notified by the end of April, to allow schemes to be implemented during the main school summer holidays.

"A number of the schemes included within the programme are still being assessed and tender exercises are required to finalise costs. However, if we are to commit to these schemes with a view to their implementation during the main school summer holidays, approval in principle to proceed is required to avoid delay."

ALSO READ: Thomasson Memorial Special School to be rebuilt from scratch.

Separately six schools learnt last month they are among more than 200 schools across the country to have Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) removed from them in the coming months.

Canon Slade School, St Andrew's CE Primary School, St Bernard's RC Primary School, St Stephen and All Martyrs CE Primary School, St William of York RC Primary School and Thornleigh Salesian College are to have RAAC removed from them after an announcement by Education Secretary Gillian Keegan.

This article was written by Jack Tooth. To contact him, email jack.tooth@newsquest.co.uk or follow @JTRTooth on Twitter.