New spending on Herefordshire’s schools has been announced.

The Government has agreed to pay 70 per cent of £5 million of planned improvements at Brookfield Special School, based at two Hereford sites.

Even with Herefordshire Council funding the remaining 30 per cent, this will mean a saving of over £2 million on the amount the council originally expected to pay to bring the school up to scratch, as the council agreed to do over two years ago.

However, given the size of the council’s remaining obligation, it will still have to be approved at a full council meeting at the end of the month.

The current “inadequate” premises include a temporary structure “of poor quality and unsuitable layout” on Symonds Street, according to a council document. The secondary building meanwhile lacks toilets for female pupils, “for which there is now demand”.

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Nor does the school have indoor sports facilities – despite physical education being a requirement of the national curriculum.

Most of the expenditure to address these issues is expected to take place in the next financial year.

The school, the only in the county to cater for children with social, emotional and/or mental health needs, is meanwhile due to transfer to the Mercian Educational Trust (MET) at the start of October.

Other smaller cost items which the council has now approved are: £52,250 on building improvements at St Martin’s Primary School, Hereford; and £81,500 to improve ventilation at “various [unspecified] Herefordshire primary schools”.

The council has also given its permission as landlord for a new trim trail at St Mary's CE Primary School, Fownhope, though this will be funded by the school itself.