Northumberland County Council officials defend their progress on Berwick’s new school amid criticism from local councillors about delays and education quality.
Berwick: Recently, Northumberland County Council officials pushed back against claims that children in Berwick are being let down by delays in building a new high school. The criticism came from Independent councillor Georgina Hill during a local authority meeting.
She pointed out that it’s been almost four years since the council secured £40 million for the project, yet there’s been no visible progress. Hill expressed concern that the lack of a modern facility is affecting education outcomes for local kids.
In response, council officials highlighted that they’ve been busy behind the scenes. They mentioned a lengthy consultation process with community members and stakeholders to ensure the new school meets everyone’s needs.
One official, Sue Aviston, explained that they learned from past projects, like the Duchess High School in Alnwick, to avoid costly mistakes. They want to make sure they get it right this time.
Audrey Kingham, another council member, emphasized that significant work has been done, including three years of consultations with the community and government. She expressed disappointment at the claims of no progress.
Committee chairman Wayne Daley defended the council’s efforts, stating that all members are committed to the new school. He believes the assertion that nothing has happened is simply not true.
In the end, it seems there’s a lot of behind-the-scenes work happening, even if it’s not visible yet. The council is determined to move forward and deliver a new school for Berwick’s children.
