COUNCILLORS have backed plans to allocate more funding to improving a comprehensive secondary school in Newport, with £6 million taken from three other projects.

Changes to Newport council’s 21st century schools and colleges programme will see more money allocated to much-needed improvements at Bassaleg School, while planned projects at Rogerstone Primary, Malpas Church in Wales and St Woolos Primary schools will be dropped for the time being.

The scheme will see the removal of a ‘dilapidated’ building, reducing maintenance costs, and allow a new three-storey teaching block to be built.

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An additional £3.1 million is also to be provided from contributions to education from housing developments under section 106 agreements.

Councillors approved the changes under delegated powers on Friday, though there was some regret voiced in a council report that money would be taken from other schemes.

Caerleon ward councillor, Cllr Joan Watkins, said: “Whilst I am in agreement with the plan to extend improvements to the Bassaleg learning environment I am saddened that it will be at the expense of the three primary schools you have listed.”

But Cllr Richard White said the planned improvements at Bassaleg School were needed.

“Given the pressure on pupil numbers from the catchment area due to several large housing developments in the catchment area in recent years and the poor state of the existing and temporary buildings on the school site it has been obvious for some years that Bassaleg School needs improving,” he said.

And Cllr Gail Giles, cabinet member for education and skills, said it was necessary to change funding plans to “address the condition of some of our worst education buildings.”

“This proposal represents the necessary course of action in terms of what is essential at this time,” she said.

Under the Bassaleg School scheme, demountable buildings will be removed from the site and replaced with permanent classrooms within a new teaching block.

Projects which will miss out include plans to expand Rogerstone primary to a three-form entry with 630 pupils plus special educational needs and nursery provision.

The council says updated pupil forecasts suggest pressure on primary places in the area is expected to reduce, and that the project “may not be required or at least could be deferred to a later date.”

Smaller refurbishment projects at Malpas Church in Wales and St Woolos primary schools will also have funding diverted.