Council approves £4.8m spend to tackle shortage of school places in Walsall
Walsall Council has given the go-head for £4.8 million to be spent on increasing school places across the borough.
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Four schools were earmarked for investment as Walsall is expected to face a deficit of 286 school places by 2028.
Walsall Council’s cabinet members approved the continued cost to expand Pool Hayes Academy in Willenhall at £3,647,700 and £500,000 to expand West Walsall EACT Academy.
Members also approved a feasibility study for the expansion of Ormiston Shelfield Academy and Willenhall EACT Academy at £650,000.
Funding will be sourced from the Department of Education’s Basic Need funding, an annual payment made available specifically for increasing school places.
Local authorities have statutory duty to ensure that there are sufficient school places ‘in number, character and equipment to provide for all pupils the opportunity of an appropriate education’.
Councillor Pardeep Kaur, portfolio holder for education and skills, emphasised that without the necessary investment, the local authority would not be able to meet its statutory duty to provide sufficient school places.
Council leader Garry Perry backed the proposals. He said: “I am sure all of us, as local councillors, will have had at least one or two emails from residents this summer who can’t get their child into a secondary school of their choice. These school places are desperately needed.”
