Calls made for a review into the escalating costs of a delayed new school near Whitnash

This week, Warwickshire County Council’s cabinet members approved an additional £6m for the building of Oakley Grove on land south of Whitnash with up to £1.186m earmarked for two other schools so that they could deal with the extra numbers before the new school opens in September 2024.

Cllr John Holland said: “I’m a bit shocked at the extra cost for Oakley Grove School.

“The portfolio holder had asked for £49.5m from council telling us that the school was being built in the wrong place and I think we need a proper review of what has happened here.

“In our local newspaper new residents are saying they have been mis-sold their houses because schools haven’t been provided and I think we need to discuss.”

At a council meeting back in September, Cllr Peter Butlin, the portfolio holder for finance, warned: “This is a perfect storm in terms of expenditure – we have a difficult site that has added extra expenditure and also the timing is in competition with HS2 in terms of the cost of resources being inflated.”

At that meeting, cabinet approved a budget of £50.150m for the all-through school but contractors Willmott Dixon’s latest cost estimate is £55.738m.

Further funding is estimated for highways works to create the right-hand turn lane and the diversion of overhead electricity cables.

A report at the meeting on Thursday (July 14) explained that the extra funding would come from unallocated education capital resources and that the most significant increases were due to inflation and complying with changes in building regulations introduced in June. It went on to outline the need for extra funding at neighbouring schools.

The report said: “The delay to the building of Oakley Grove has left a forecast shortfall in reception places for September 2023 of between one to two forms of entry (30 to 60 places). The proposal is to provide these places in existing schools and pupils would remain in the schools for the seven years.”

Cabinet approved £400,000 for a classroom with toilets and a new kitchen at Bishop’s Tachbrook CofE School while £786,000 was earmarked for work at Briar Hill Infant School and St Margaret’s CofE Junior School should extra spaces be required.