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FOUR secondary schools in Worcestershire could be completely rebuilt and another refurbished from next year, after councillors agreed to submit a bid for £150 million.

Worcestershire County Council has been invited to bid for funding under the Government's Building Schools for the Future programme earlier than had been originally planned. If successful, it would see five schools in Wyre Forest rebuilt or refurbished starting next year.

At yesterday's meeting of the council's cabinet, Councillor Stephen Clee, said: "Wyre Forest schools are long overdue for renewal and need a large capital investment. I welcome this."

And council leader Councillor Dr George Lord added: "We want these schools to be rebuilt sooner rather than later so it is important that we bid for the funding now."

Those to be rebuilt are Kidderminster's Baxter College and King Charles I, Stourport High and Wolverley High. Bewdley High School would be a partially rebuilt and the new special school for Wyre Forest is also being recommended for inclusion in the bid.

The council is asking the Government for £150 million to fund the building works. The council will need to make £4.5 million available in revenue funding over the next three years to support the project delivery.

The 15-year Building Schools for the Future scheme has divided schools into different categories. Wyre Forest schools are first on the list for Worcestershire and were due to receive funding in 2011. However, following concerns that the national programme was not moving ahead quickly enough, the Department for Children, Schools and Families has invited councils to bring the 2011 bids forward.

Schools in Worcester, Malvern and Redditch remain further down the list of priorities, followed by those in Wychavon and Bromsgrove. However, the bidding process for funding for these areas could also potentially be brought forward, although nothing has yet been confirmed.

The Government will announce in June which councils have been successful in this round of early bids.

If Worcestershire does not succeed with the early bid it will be invited to submit again, either in autumn 2008 or spring 2009.

12:06pm Wednesday 26th March 2008

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