South East Cambridgeshire MP Lucy Frazer has welcomed news that 4 schools in her constituency are to receive extra funds to improve the condition of their estates.   

Weatheralls Primary School, Impington Village College, Witchford Village College and Linton Village College have all made successful applications to the Condition Improvement Fund 2019 to 2020, the results of which were published today. £433 million is being made available for 1413 projects at 1210 schools and sixth form colleges.

This money is part of a larger £1.4 billion of capital funding, in the forthcoming financial year, to maintain and improve the condition of the school estate.

In his announcement earlier today, Minister of State for Schools Standards, Nick Gibb, said, “This funding is provided to ensure schools have well maintained facilities to provide students with safe environments that support a high-quality education.”

The funding is part of £23 billion committed over 2016–21 to deliver new school places, rebuild or refurbish buildings in the worst condition and deliver thousands of condition projects across the school estate.

For the financial year 2019–20, the £1.4 billion of capital funding includes:

• Almost £800 million for local authorities, voluntary aided partnerships, larger multi-academy trusts and academy sponsors, to invest in maintaining and improving the condition of their schools.
• Over £400 million available through the Condition Improvement Fund, as detailed above, for essential maintenance projects at small and stand-alone academy trusts and sixth-form colleges.
• Over £200 million of Devolved Formula Capital allocated directly for schools to spend on small capital projects to meet their own priorities.

Lucy Frazer said, “I am delighted that 4 schools in our constituency have been successful in their bids for extra maintenance funding. I know that the fund was heavily oversubscribed and only 1413 projects out of 4,500 were successful in their applications for this year. I also welcome the further funding being made available today for the maintenance and improvement of schools across a broader spectrum. A well maintained school environment is not only essential from a safety point of view, but also has a positive impact on teaching and learning. I recently met with the Minister and impressed upon him the importance of funding for our area - for our nurseries, schools and sixth form colleges.”