News from Southampton Labour

£2 million boost for Southampton schools and local economy

Southampton’s Labour MPs Alan Whitehead and John Denham have welcomed news that schools across Southampton will get extra funding this year.

As part of the Government’s efforts to support local businesses and jobs through the recession, millions of pounds of spending on school buildings and repairs are being brought forward from 2010/11 to 2009/10.

Every school in Southampton will benefit with £1,258,646 of funding brought forward from next year to this year – a total of £4,405,261 of spending this year. The funding will go direct to headteachers and schools can choose how to spend the money as they see fit, from building new classrooms or science laboratories to fitting out new gyms or ICT facilities.

In addition, the Government has allowed Southampton City Council to bring forward £750,000 for larger school building projects coordinated by the local authority – making a total of £8,727,037 of spending this year.

This week’s announcements mean a total of £13,132,298 will be spent on school buildings and repairs in Southampton from April – £2,008,646 of it brought forward from the following year.

Alan Whitehead, Labour MP, said:

“This is all part of our work as local MPs to help Southampton through the recession, by working with the government to deliver real increases in spending this year. So I hope local schools will get on and spend the money – which will not only improve facilities for pupils but will support small businesses and jobs in our area too.

“It is however concerning that Southampton City Council felt it was in a position to only bring forward 8.8 percent of the total available to them when on average local authorities in England have brought forward 35 percent.”

John Denham, Labour MP for Southampton Itchen, said:

“It’s vital that we support the economy at this difficult time, so I’m delighted that every school in our area will benefit from this injection of extra funding this year.

“But it’s disappointing that the Tories oppose our plan to bring forward spending on school buildings. Just at the time when we should be supporting the economy the Tories say they would actually cut spending, including billions of pounds from our school rebuilding programme. This would be bad news for local schools and bad news for local businesses.”

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