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Search forFight for funds to rebuild Helston School gains momentum
Thursday, November 20, 2008, 09:00
There are a number of schools in the mix for £80 million of government money which should become available in 2012.
Half of that will be used for a major rebuild of whichever school succeeds, while the remainder will be spent on refurbishments.
Governors at Helston, along with headteacher Dr Pat McGovern and county councillors, say some of their school's buildings are no longer "fit for purpose", having reached the end of their intended lives.
The hope now rests with the government cash under its Building Schools for the Future initiative.
However, Cornwall County Council has first to win the money and, on Tuesday, its children, young people and family services policy and development scrutiny committee agreed to try to ensure the county did.
Once that has been achieved, said Helston councillor Paul Phillips, who attended the meeting, then a priority list would be drawn up.
Mr Phillips and councillor Vince Curnow, who also represents parts of Helston, and Porthleven, have been at the forefront of a campaign to get the money to Helston.
Mr Phillips told The West Briton yesterday: "The council is going to try to ensure that we get the money into the county."
He said there was no point in making any priority lists until that was agreed.
But of Tuesday's meeting, Mr Phillips said: "All I can say is that everyone who spoke, spoke for Helston's needs."
This had included members from all over the county – not just those from the Helston area.
The Government wanted "expressions of interest" in the Building Schools for the future scheme in by the end of this month.
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