AQW 22601/22-27

Mr Nick Mathison
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 14/02/2025
Answered On Date: 06/03/2025
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education whether he will undertake a review of the current processes for allocating funding to schools for unavoidable minor works.

Answer:

Due to budget constraints, Unavoidable Minor Works applications are currently prioritised on the basis of health and safety, statutory compliance and the need to address urgent and emergency repairs, which could close a school or present a significant health and safety risk.

My Department’s internal audit carried out a review of the Minor Works processes for non-controlled schools in May 2023. One of the objectives of that review was “To ensure that schemes within the minor works programme are prioritised to ensure effective use of the available capital budget”. The audit opinion was that, overall, there is a satisfactory system of governance, risk management and control.

In October 2017 the Department increased the Education Authority’s (EA) capital delegation from £500k to £1m. This effectively meant that from that date, all EA capital projects below that threshold are carried out by the EA without reference to the Department.

The EA is responsible for determining its own minor works priorities and for planning, managing and carrying out these works.

Delivery of projects is continually assessed against available budget.