Education told more detail needed before it can get £26m. for buildings

Thursday 23 November 2023

Education has been left without the £26m. the committee argues it now needs to upgrade its ailing buildings, but with a message that if there was more detail, support would be forthcoming.

Members comfortably rejected an amendment to the Budget to put aside the money that was led by Policy & Resources member Deputy Bob Murray.

There was general discontent about the lack of detail, with essentially a few bullet points outlining how much money was needed and where.

The amendment was a consequence of a series of States votes on Wednesday where members could not coalesce around a way of funding the post-16 transformation programme, something that put the brakes on plans for a campus at Les Ozouets.

It means that money is needed for serious maintenance at sites like the Coutanchez, which was expected to be vacated and demolished for housing but is now going to be needed for years to come.

The costs outlined by Deputy Murray, who sits on the education transformation team, include up to £6.8m for remedial work at the Coutanchez, £1.8m at La Mare and £2.47m at Delancey (not including inflation).

There was up to £2.33m on a digital services programme so all three component parts of The Guernsey Institute can communicate with each other; while housing the Youth Service, Share and the Music Service was another potential £1.72m. There is also a cost of the project team until it can be disbanded put at up to £2.5m and an undisclosed cost of demolishing the former St Peter Port school.

"Don't shoot the messenger because you don't like the news I’m bringing. But this is the reality, these are very serious costs," said Deputy Murray.

At one point Education, Sport and Culture president Deputy Andrea Dudley-Owen secured a break in debate to discuss a way forward with Policy & Resources during which the option of an emergency billet being produced to secure the funding was discussed. 

There was criticism that ESC did not have a Plan-B, even though it knew there was a danger it would not get money for the transformation programme. 

Many members said they were hearing the maintenance figures for the first time, although Deputy Dudley-Owen was heavily critical about the lack of engagement in their presentations.

She defends not coming up with a Plan B because of the work involved when the States had already agreed to the education policy.

Deputy Dudley-Owen also warned that they were getting to the “crazy situation” where they were having to consider providing post-16 education off island.

You can follow the debate LIVE ONLINE.