‘Enough dithering, it's time to get on and build new schools

CALLS ON GOVERNMENT TO MAKE DECISION ON FOUR SCHOOLS

- By EDDIE BISKNELL Local democracy reporter

DERBYSHIRE councillors are set to call on central government to make a decision on stalled plans for four new schools around the county which have spent a year in budget limbo.

For the past year, the future of four new schools in Bolsover, Derby and Wingerworth has hung in the balance due to a pause by Labour.

The schemes for primary schools on The Avenue site in Wingerworth and the New House Farm development in Mickleover, a sixth form in Bolsover and a secondary school on the Infinity Garden Village near Chellaston, are supported by business cases.

The previous Conservative Government had green-lit all four schemes but work had not started with the projects sitting on a “preopening phase”.

However, when Labour came into power, it chose to freeze future spending on projects that had not started after last September, identifying a claimed £22 billion public finances black hole. All further schemes were to be assessed and either progressed or shelved.