November 11, 2013
Maintenance funding for South Burnett schools has been halved for 2013-14 but local schools will still receive more $1.6 million in assistance during the next 12 months.
Figures released by the State Government show that during 2012-13, a total of $3.349 million was allocated to State Schools in the greater South Burnett region to clear a backlog of much-needed maintenance works.
However the allocation for 2013-14 has dropped to $1.652 million, presumably because much of the scheduled works have now been completed.
An analysis of the two-year program shows that locally, the bulk of this year’s extra maintenance funding will be directed to schools in the region’s major towns.
These will receive between $96,000 and $179,000 to apply to their remaining maintenance backlogs.
Most of the region’s smaller schools will receive between $2000 and $8000.
Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington today welcomed the second round of allocations from the program which she said would go a long way towards clearing the maintenance backlog in schools.
She said the State Government had achieved efficiencies during the program by allowing schools to have maintenance completed by local tradespeople instead of using QBuild.
“In some cases, schools are saving up to 20 per cent on maintenance work by allowing contractors to compete for the work. That’s five jobs for the price of four, and it’s giving local tradespeople work,” she said.
Mrs Frecklington said the previous Labor Government had left Queensland State Schools with a $292 million maintenance backlog.
“Because of Labor’s neglect school facilities in my electorate were left to decay,” she said.
The incoming LNP Government addressed this backlog by establishing the two-year $300 million Advancing Our School Maintenance program
