Schools will have no responsibility for dental clinic maintenance under proposed leases with the Otago District Health Board for the new fixed site and mobile dental clinics.
The lease will apply to six fixed clinics and 18 sites to be visited by mobile clinics around the province.
The only clinic in the $4.9 million redevelopment of Otago's school dental service which will not be covered by the lease will be that situated at the University of Otago's school of dentistry.
It will be covered by a service contract.
Existing clinics are owned by the Ministry of Education and schools are responsible for their maintenance, but under the new agreement the board will own and maintain the clinics.
At its meeting this week, the board approved the use of the lease which has been produced by the ministries of health and education for use for any clinics on Ministry of Education land.
The project manager for the redevelopment of school dental services in Otago and Southland, Graham Bugler, said boards had been advised the terms of the lease could not be amended or negotiated.
Under the proposed lease schools will pay rent of $1 a year, the term will be 34 years and 364 days and the board can terminate the lease with three months' notice.
Schools will not be allowed to terminate the lease, but leases could end with the agreement of the Secretary of Education and the board.
Where a school might close or merge with another, provision is made for a negotiation process which could allow for the clinic to continue from the site or be relocated.
Compensation to the board could also be made in situations where there were buildings which could not be removed after a merger or a closure.
The board will be required to pay for the replacement and installation of electrical, plumbing and drainage systems which it may need for the clinics.
It is understood that in many cases this may mean upgrading the power supply to three-phase.
The board will also have to pay for services including water, electricity, gas, telephones and rubbish collection.
Mr Bugler said it was expected all leases should be in place by the end of this year.
The first fixed clinic is planned for Wanaka Primary School on its new site and is expected to be open in September.
The first mobile clinic is not expected in Otago until the second half of this year.
Dental clinics
Fixed clinics: Wanaka, Alexandra, Rosebank (Balclutha) and Oamaru North Primary Schools, Macandrew Intermediate (Dunedin), Silverstream College (Mosgiel).
Mobile sites: At schools in Clutha Valley, Cromwell, Green Island, Kaitangata, Kurow, Lawrence, Middlemarch, Milton, Omakau, Omarama, Owaka, Palmerston, Port Chalmers, Portobello, Ranfurly, Roxburgh, Tapanui and Waikouaiti.
