What's your school getting? $27m boost for Southern schools

Jacinda Ardern
Jacinda Ardern
Southern schools can spend more than $27 million in an unexpected fillip that should plough new money into local business.

Southern tradespeople are alive to the need to cover all the maintenance work required on more than 250 schools across the region within two years — and they warn it will take some planning.

There is early talk schools could band together to book trades and make the most of potential economies of scale, as builders say streamlining will make the short burst more manageable.

The Government will give nearly every state school extra funding, valued at $396million, to bring forward urgent school property improvements.

Eligible Otago and Southland schools will receive shares of more than $27,152,337 to upgrade classrooms (including making classrooms more flexible and modern), replace roofing and guttering, upgrade stormwater drainage systems, install energy-efficient heating and lighting, and even resurface outdoor courts and paved areas.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the investment would be great for local tradespeople and encouraged schools to engage local labour.

‘‘This is an opportunity for work at a local level in every town and city in the country.’’

While principals were delighted with the funding boost, many questioned whether there would be enough tradesmen in the region to carry out the work within the allotted two years.

Otago Master Builders Association president Bill Hamilton was excited about the opportunity for more work soon, but said business was already booming.

‘‘The capacity of tradesmen will be stretched. There’s no doubt about that. But it is possible to do.

‘‘What needs to happen is for the work to be streamlined so that all the contractors have a steady flow of work.

‘‘If they could spread the work out and dove-tail it together, it would make it much more manageable for the industry to deal with.’’

Green Island School principal Steve Hayward said one way to streamline the process could be for schools to work together. He was keen to see schools work within their clusters, to book trades or even build a new learning centre based on a shared design.

‘‘They could go from one school to the next, and that would also keep the price down.’’

Otago Chamber of Commerce chief executive Dougal McGowan believed the southern region had the capacity to do the work.

‘‘This will give local businesses another reason to invest in apprenticeships in their sector, because we know this [school work] will be a nice lead-in to the large-scale work that we know is going to happen throughout the region over the next eight-10 years.

‘‘It gives some certainty to some businesses to take on apprentices and staff and get them trained up for when the bigger stuff — like the hospital — comes around as well.’’

Bathgate Park School principal Katrina Robertson was delighted with the funding boost and believed it would help the school’s financial position.

The school was recently listed in an auditor-general’s report as being in serious financial difficulty.

‘‘I think this money coming will be useful for schools in financial difficulty.

‘‘It means that those [maintenance] things that you’ve just got to get done, but you don’t have the money for, and have to borrow from other areas in your school to do — it means that won’t need to be the case any more.

‘‘Usually money is put into curriculum and staffing resources, and property maintenance comes in at a poor third place.

‘‘Being a low decile school, we always need to prioritise where our funds go into.’’

Amounts given to schools range from $50,000 to $400,000.

Regionally, the largest amounts were promised to Dunedin schools ($7,191,506) and Invercargill schools ($4,369,505).

john.lewis@odt.co.nz

 

School Investment Package

Schools built before 2015 are eligible.

Integrated schools, schools built through a Public Private Parnership, or schools in leased accommodation are not eligible.

DUNEDIN

SCHOOL

SECONDARY
Bayfield High School: $336,798
Kaikorai Valley College: $329,868
Kings High School: $400,000
Logan Park High School: $400,000
Otago Boys High School: $400,000
Otago Girls High School: $400,000
Queens High School: $227,997
TOTAL: $2,494,663

INTERMEDIATE
Balmacewen Intermediate: $361,053
Dunedin North Intermediate: $167,706
Tahuna Normal Intermediate: $400,000
TOTAL: $928,759

PRIMARY
Andersons Bay School: $218,295
Arthur Street School: $141,372
Balaclava School: $171,171
Bathgate Park School: $131,670
Bradford School: $77,616
Broad Bay School: $50,000
Brockville School: $106,722
Carisbrook School: $233,541
George Street Normal School: $338,184
Grants Braes School:$ 179,487
Halfway Bush School: $50,000
Kaikorai School: $224,532
Macandrew Bay School: $115,038
Maori Hill School: $169,092
Mornington School: $200,970
Musselburgh School: $126,819
North East Valley Normal School: $170,478
Opoho School: $113,652
Pine Hill School: $50,000
Port Chalmers School: $81,774
Portobello School: $50,000
Ravensbourne School: $50,000
Sara Cohen School: $200,000
Sawyers Bay School: $82,467
Tainui School: $216,909
Wakari School: $218,295

Primary TOTAL: $3,768,084
DUNEDIN TOTAL: $7,191,506


CENTRAL OTAGO

SCHOOL

SECONDARY
Cromwell College: $342,342
Dunstan High School: $393,624
Maniototo Area School: $111,573
Roxburgh Area School: $110,187

PRIMARY
Alexandra School: $153,846
Arrowtown School: $363,825
Clyde School: $105,336
Cromwell Primary School: $221,067
Goldfields School: (Cromwell) $191,268
Millers Flat School: $50,000
Omakau School: $53,361
Poolburn School: $50,000
The Terrace School (Alexandra): $266,805

TOTAL: 2$,413,234


LAKES

SCHOOL

SECONDARY
Mt Aspiring College: $400,000
Wakatipu High School: Not Eligible

PRIMARY
Glenorchy School: $50,000
Hawea Flat School: $159,390
Kingsview School: Not Eligible
Makarora Primary School: $50,000
Queenstown School: $400,000
Remarkables School: $395,010
Shotover Primary School: Not Eligible
Tarras School: $50,000
Wanaka Primary School: $400,000

TOTAL: $1,904,400


SOUTH OTAGO

SCHOOL

SECONDARY
Lawrence Area School: $95,634
South Otago High School: $297,990
The Catlins Area School: $77,616
Tokomairiro High School: $162,162

PRIMARY
Balclutha School: $110,187
Clinton School: $50,000
Clutha Valley School: $77,616
Kaitangata School: $72,765
Milton School: $108,108
Romahapa School: $57,519
Rosebank School (Balclutha): $178,794
Stirling School: $50,000
Tahakopa School: $50,000
Tokoiti School: $50,000
Waihola District School: $50,000
Waikoikoi School: $50,000
Waitahuna School: $50,000
Waiwera South School: $50,000
Warepa School: $50,000

TOTAL: $1,688,391


TAIERI

SCHOOL

SECONDARY
Taieri College: $400,000

PRIMARY
Abbotsford School: $204,435
Big Rock School: $73,458
East Taieri School: $231,462
Elmgrove School: $206,514
Fairfield School (Dunedin): $311,850
Green Island School: $125,433
Lee Stream School: $50,000
Outram School: $119,889
Silverstream School: $184,338
Strath Taieri School: $50,000
Taieri Beach School: $50,000
TKKM o Otepoti: $50,000

TOTAL: 2,057,379


WEST OTAGO

SCHOOL

SECONDARY
Blue Mountain College: $151,767

PRIMARY
Heriot School: $50,000
Tapanui School: $81,774

TOTAL: $283,541


NORTH AND EAST OTAGO

SCHOOL

SECONDARY
East Otago High School: $106,029
Waitaki Boys High School: $268,191
Waitaki Girls High School: $274,428

INTERMEDIATE
Oamaru Intermediate: $205,128

PRIMARY
Ardgowan School: $114,345
Duntroon School: $63,063
Fenwick School: $226,611
Five Forks School: $50,000
Hampden School: $50,000
Kakanui School: $50,000
Karitane School: $50,000
Macraes Moonlight School: $50,000
Maheno School: $50,000
Oamaru North School: $52,668
Omarama School: $50,000
Palmerston School: $68,607
Papakaio School: $97,020
Pembroke School (Oamaru): $191,268
Purakanui School: $50,000
Totara School: $50,000
Waikouaiti School: $69,300
Waitaki Valley School: $72,765
Waitati School: $57,519
Warrington School: $50,000
Weston School: $162,162

TOTAL: $2,529,104



INVERCARGILL

SCHOOL

SECONDARY
Aurora College: $286,209
James Hargest College: $400,000
Southland Boys’ High School: $400,000
Southland Girls’ High School: $400,000
Te Wharekura o Arowhenua: $127,512

TOTAL: $1,613,721

PRIMARY
Ascot Community School: $218,295
Donovan School: $295,218
Fernworth School: $191,961
Invercargill Middle School: $119,889
Makarewa School: $102,564
Myross Bush School: $124,047
New River School: $149,688
Newfield Park School: $178,794
Otatara School: $196,812
Ruru Special School: $200,000
Salford School: $190,575
Tisbury School: $92,169
Waihopai School: $243,936
Waverley Park School: $201,663
Windsor North School: $250,173

Primary TOTAL: $2,755,784

TOTAL: $4,369,505



GORE DISTRICT

SCHOOL

SECONDARY
Gore High School: $334,026

INTERMEDIATE
Longford Intermediate: $140,679

PRIMARY
East Gore School: $81,081
Gore Main School: $135,135
Knapdale School: $50,000
Mataura School: $88,011
Otama School: $50,000
Pukerau School: $50,000
Waikaka School: $50,000
West Gore School: $159,390

TOTAL: $1,138,322


SOUTHLAND DISTRICT

SCHOOL

SECONDARY
Aparima College: $130,284
Central Southland College: $388,080
Fiordland College: $157,311
Menzies College: $223,146
Northern Southland College: $130,977
Waiau Area School:$ 84,546

PRIMARY
Balfour School: $63,063
Bluff School: $106,029
Dipton School: $50,000
Drummond School: $50,000
Edendale School: $110,187
Garston School: $50,000
Glenham School: $50,000
Gorge Road School: $50,000
Halfmoon Bay School: $50,000
Hauroko Valley School: $54,747
Heddon Bush School: $50,000
Hedgehope School: $50,000
Hillside School: $50,000
Limehills School: $121,968
Lochiel School: $65,142
Lumsden School: $56,826
Mararoa School: $50,000
Mossburn School: $50,000
Otautau School: $119,196
Rimu School: $84,546
Riversdale School: $73,458
Riverton School: $108,108
Takitimu School: $54,054
Te Anau School: $187,110
Te Tipua School: $50,000
Thornbury School: $50,000
Tokanui School: $61,677
Tuturau School: $50,000
Waianiwa School: $50,000
Waikaia School: $50,000
Wallacetown School: $50,000
Winton School: $200,277
Woodlands School: $67,914
Wyndham School: $78,309

TOTAL: $3,576,955

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