Lib Dems invest millions in schools and libraries (Islington Liberal Democrats)

Islington Liberal Democrats <Islington_ld@cix.co.uk>

Lib Dems invest millions in schools and libraries

March 7, 2002 12:00 AM

Islington Councilís Education and Libraries Committee this Thursday (7 March) will discuss the massive capital investment in schools put forward by the Liberal Democrats. Cllr James Kempton, Education Chair, said ìThis investment is made possible by the commitment of the whole Liberal Democrat Group and Council to giving priority to investing in education. It will make a huge difference to the learning environment of our pupils and teachers.î Those works already completed include: £150,000 on new ICT and library building, plus extension of the nursery at Highbury Quadrant school £150,000 for new gas supplies and boilers at Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School A completely new heating system at Clerkenwell Parochial School £800,000 worth of improvements at Holloway school, including a refurbished teaching block for this Septemberís first mixed intake New boilers and hot water supplies at Copenhagen school and St Aloysius College - nearly half a million pounds New heating arrangements at Hungerford school - a third of a million pounds Electrical rewiring at Tufnell Park school - £195,000 Works costing around £4 million are currently ongoing to continue the transformation at Islington Arts & Media School and work planned in the coming year includes: Over £1 million worth of new sports, music and drama facilities at St Aloysius College £ æm worth of science and technology improvements at Islington Green School £2/3 m worth of new technology facilities at Mount Carmel school More improvements to the heating at Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School Half a million pounds on a kitchen block and new music suite at Highbury Grove school Half a million pounds of other improvements to various school kitchens In Libraries, the Lib Dems are proposing nearly half a million pounds towards the new library at Finsbury Park and other improvements to libraries The Council is also proposing more money for Information and Communications Technology equipment, and for Islingtonís award-winning Early Years Service. Cllr James Kempton, Education Chair, said ìThe Liberal Democrats are investing millions to bring our schools up to standard - after being desperately neglected under Labour for years. ìImproving education in Islington is obviously mainly about people - teachers, pupils and parents - but giving them good-quality buildings to work in is essential if we are to succeed. We cannot expect twenty-first century results in 1970ís facilities. ìWe are investing many millions of the Councilís own money, and the Government are also contributing more money now they know Islington will spend it wisely and responsibly.î Extra Info The Liberal Democrats have also supported improvement in Education in other ways, including fully funding teachersí pay rises, increasing annual funding to Education by several million pounds and invested in new facilities and more books in libraries.