The news that schools and colleges in England are to receive £2.5 billion to upgrade buildings and boost school places has been welcomed by North Trafford Local Conservatives.
The Department for Education recently announced a £1.8 billion investment for the 2023 to 2024 financial year to improve the condition of the school estate across England - this builds on over £13 billion to upgrade school buildings since 2015. A further £487 million investment to support councils to provide additional school places needed for September 2026 was also announced, as was the news that 146 colleges will be benefiting from the final phase of the £1.5 billion further education capital transformation programme, to upgrade buildings and transform campuses.
Locally, the Conservative Government has awarded Trafford Council £19,177,071 in basic need funding, which will provide an additional 1,336 school places by the 2026/27 academic year. The funding comes in addition to the £77,896,483 of basic need funding awarded to the council between 2011 and 2023.
Commenting on the news, Paul Lally, one of the three Local Conservative candidates for the Flixton ward in the 2023 local elections said “Partly due to the range of school types, Trafford schools are popular with most schools being over-subscribed. Demand for school places in Trafford has been exceptionally high in recent years and as we know that Trafford Council building a new school is currently not a viable option, this additional Conservative Government funding for new school places is very welcome news for Trafford residents.“
