3 December 2010
The true cost of refurbishing schools in Wales remains unclear, Assembly members said today.
The recently established Twenty-first Century Schools Programme had gone some way to improving the school estate but there was still considerable progress to be made, the Welsh Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee found.
Its report calls on the Welsh government to set out exactly how much it will cost to make all schools ‘fit for purpose’ and a timescale for doing so. Councils should be encouraged to work more closely together rather than relying on central support from the Welsh government, the committee adds.
Chair Jonathan Morgan said: ‘It is vital, now more than ever, for the Welsh government to establish a clear and definitive process for bringing all school buildings across Wales up to scratch.
‘The Twenty-first Century Schools programme was brought in at a time when more funding was available for large-scale projects.
‘We urge the Welsh Government to show how that programme has been adapted in this changing financial climate.
‘We also want to see exactly what being “fit for purpose” means and when this much-needed standard will be attained.’
The PAC’s inquiry follows a report from the auditor general for Wales that was published in July.
