County Durham schools could benefit from access to a new loans scheme to help pay for improvements and new computer equipment.
Proposals to introduce the lending scheme will go before Durham County Council’s Cabinet today (Wednesday 16th September).
Under the plans, loans would be made available to all maintained schools in the county, including nursery, primary, secondary, special and The Pupil Referral Unit.
The council is proposing to lend funds on the basis that they are used for building works, energy efficiency measures and new furniture or equipment such as ICT.
Cllr Ossie Johnson, Cabinet member for children and young people’s services, said: “The new loan scheme would help maintained schools access funding to enable them to pay for important improvements to their buildings and provide much-needed new equipment for pupils.
“At a time when the funding available to schools has fallen significantly due to Government funding reductions, meaning that only those with chronic problems and in need of essential works are prioritised for assistance, loans such as these could prove a huge benefit to many of our maintained schools.”
Cabinet will be asked to consider a number of recommendations regarding the loan scheme, which would come into effect from 1 October 2015.
