Lib Dems Pledge To Maintain School Buildings And Improve Energy Efficiency

In their alternative Cambridgeshire County Council budget, the Lib Dems have set aside £10 million over the next five years to maintain and improve the buildings of the 200 schools for which the council is still responsible.

“The council has a school maintenance backlog of over £20 million”, said Lib Dem Education Spokesman, Peter Downes. “We would increase the investment in making schools fit for purpose and we would give priority to maintenance work that would improve energy efficiency.

“This is a win-win situation. The school would reduce its expenditure on energy, thus releasing more funds for teaching, and the county would have to pay less in carbon tax.'

Central government has cut back drastically on the funding it makes available directly to school for capital improvements in order to fund its other schemes, such as the creation of 'free schools'.

“The government has got its priorities wrong and we must do what we can at a local level to redress the balance,” said Kilian Bourke, Lib Dem Group Leader.