- The Conservative Government is providing a share of £500 million for energy efficiency upgrades for schools and colleges in Penrith and The Border helping them to save on their bills.
- The extra funding will support small scale energy improvements including installing better heating controls, insulation to reduce heat loss from pipes, or switching to energy efficient lighting.
- On average a primary school will receive approximately £16,000, a secondary school will receive around £42,000, and further education college groups will benefit from £290,000.
- Dr Hudson also stressed that the much needed rebuild of Penrith's Ullswater Community College should be prioritised as part of the Government's caring agenda.
Dr Neil Hudson has welcomed extra funding from the Conservative Government, providing a share of £500 million for energy efficiency upgrades for schools and colleges in Penrith and The Border.
The extra funding will help schools and colleges save on their energy bills during the winter months and manage energy consumption, after Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine has driven up energy prices worldwide.
The extra funding from the Conservative Government will not only help schools and colleges save money, it will also make them more energy efficient during the cold period and increase winter resilience for future years.
On average, a primary school will receive approximately £16,000, a secondary school will receive around £42,000, and further education college groups will benefit from approximately £290,000.
State schools and colleges will be supported with installing better heating controls, insulation to reduce heat loss from pipes, or switching to energy efficient lighting. The funding will be available in the coming weeks, helping to accelerate work ahead of the colder months, schools and colleges will be able to decide what energy upgrades to prioritise.
The Conservative Government’s Energy Relief will also continue supporting schools and colleges this winter, reducing how much they need to spend on their energy and giving them greater certainty over their budgets.
This extra funding comes on top of £1.8 billion of capital investment already committed this year by the Conservative Government for improving the condition of school buildings.
Commenting, Dr Neil Hudson, MP for Penrith and The Border, said:
“Energy prices are going up for schools and colleges, so it is only right our Conservative Government has injected £500 million for much-needed energy efficiency upgrades to make sure students can make the most of their education and achieve their best.
“On top of the Energy Relief scheme, this extra funding will continue supporting schools and colleges by reducing how much they need to spend on their energy and giving them greater certainty over their budgets.
“These upgrades are of course welcome but for one of our local schools, Ullswater Community College, we need to invest much more. And so as recently as last month I pushed Government to commit to a vital rebuild of the site and will continue to work with the school until we see action on the issue."
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan added:
“Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine is driving up energy prices worldwide, so it is important to look at the things we can do to make classrooms more energy efficient and resilient to price fluctuations.
“We’re putting this cash in the hands of school and college leaders quickly, so they can decide what work is needed and so that our brilliant teachers can focus on teaching in a warm and safe environment.
“Education is rightly a top priority for this government and we will continue to strive to provide every child with a world-class education."
