Liberal Democrats at North Yorkshire County Council claim that a recent report has exposed a serious lack of maintenance and compliance with legislation in school properties that amounts to an unforeseen black hole of £6 million in the council’s finances.

The report tells us that District Councils, which are responsible for environmental health issues, are becoming increasingly concerned about conditions in some of our schools. Indeed, the following quote from the schedule in the report says:

“NYCC has already been warned by one District Council it is minded to issue enforcement unless repairs are carried out”

Other comments:

“Toilets are inadequate –unchanged since the school opened in 1963. Parents have raised concerns about with the school nurse regarding poor toilet provision.”

“School is losing money on catering as students are citing long queues and cramped conditions as reasons for bringing sandwiches.”

“Year 5/6 is disrupted every day when deliveries arrive for kitchen and children have to rearrange furniture for assembly and lunches.”

The report identifies that the neglect has been due to concentration on curricular activities rather than the suitability of the buildings and environment.

Money to pay for these urgent repairs has had to be diverted from a reserve that was only set up in April this year to pay for potentially huge extra costs the authority might face for waste management after 2011.

County Councillor Bill Hoult, Leader of the Liberal Democrats at County Hall comments:

“Following on from of the Council’s neglect of maintenance and repair of tenanted County Farms, and the problems surrounding the highway depot rationalisation project, this is alarming, particularly as it relates to schools.”

“I just hope that there are no more surprises like this to come out of the woodwork.”