I was delighted with the announcement that several schools
across Mid-Cornwall will be receiving investment from the Government’s
Condition Improvement Fund for 2016/17.
More than £3 million has been awarded to schools in our constituency for
building repair and improvement work.
This year Newquay Tretherras, Bishop Bronescombe School in
St Austell and St Dennis Primary Academy have all made successful bids for the
funding, of which £435 million has been released for 1,276 projects at 1,030
academies and sixth-form colleges across the country. These awards follow
recent funding that has enabled other local schools such as those at Nanpean
and Charlestown to expand.
The core priority of Condition Improvement Funding is keeping academy
and sixth-form college buildings safe and in good working order. Most CIF
funding aims to address significant issues with school facilities that other
funding streams cannot meet. These include issues with poor building condition,
building compliance, energy efficiency and health and safety.
The Condition Improvement Fund grants are awarded on a
competitive basis so the individual schools are to be congratulated for their
successful bids. I look forward to
seeing these improvements come to fruition.
While improvements to buildings are important and necessary,
a bigger task lies ahead. For far too
long school children in Cornwall have been on the losing side of an out-dated
funding formula.
I was pleased when the Secretary of State for Education,
Nicky Morgan announced consultation on a National Funding Formula for schools
across the country. As she said herself,
the current system is “outdated,
inefficient and unfair”, a statement I wholeheartedly agree with.
Constructing
the new funding formula will not be easy and I see it as my job to fight for
the issues that impact Cornwall. Funding
needs to reflect need and deprivation and the challenges of rural areas as well
as basic cost. Many assume that the
provision of education is cheaper outside London, but of course in rural areas,
it is often more expensive not cheaper.
Cornwall
has fallen behind other areas and so we not only need equality, but also the
chance to catch up with other areas. I
know that many of my Conservative colleagues across the South West have constituencies
that find themselves in similar circumstances to St Austell and Newquay. This is another opportunity for us to work
together to influence the Government for the good of our region, and I look
forward to working with them to make that happen.
Cornish
school children have been short changed for decades. Children who learn in a safe and well-funded
environment learn with confidence, are given the chance to aspire to a better
life and will be better placed to succeed in the adult world. It is time that all our children have this
chance and I will continue to work hard to that end.
My team and I are
here to serve the whole constituency and seek to make a real difference to the
lives of everyone who needs help and support in any way. If there is any issue that we can help you
with then please contact us on either 01726 829379 or on office@stevedouble.org.uk.
