TAMESIDE Council faces finding a six-figure sum of money to cover the rising costs of much needed repairs to schools.
Several sites across the borough are having work done – but delays and price roses are sending bills soaring.
Now councillors are having to dip into funds to cover the bills for the required servicing.
Gable end and roof works at Gee Cross Holy Trinity Primary were originally scheduled for summer 2021 but the lath and plaster ceilings took priority, meaning it could not go ahead as planned.
And further investigations of the adjacent flat roof over the administration and toilet areas found it was in a life-expired state.
Now given the costs of erecting scaffold to deal with the pitched roof repairs it has been decided it makes financial sense to tackle all the works at the same time.
However, that means an extra £200,000 is needed to complete everything, including replacing original metal windows with double-glazed uPVC windows and complete repointing the gable end, after an initial quote of £70,000.
A secure entrance extension to St Anne’s Primary in Denton – which does not have a disabled toilet – has also spiralled in cost since planning permission was given two years ago.
The final bill will be £510,000, with the school making a contribution of £155,000.
And an extra £19,000 is needed to complete a full rewire of Arlies Primary School in Stalybridge as new permanent ceilings and lighting will be needed after it was discovered the previous ones contained asbestos.
An initial £370,000 budget has now gone up to £389.039 but it is still hopes the scheme will be completed by September.