The ‘strain’ on schools after the Carillion collapse
TEACHING UNIONS WARN OF IMPLICATIONS OF INSOLVENCY
SIX schools in the North East were involved with failed construction giant Carillion.
Hundreds of schools across the country held contracts with the firm, which went into liquidation on Monday.
While the Government says all services will be maintained, teaching unions have warned of “strain” on teachers as the implications of the collapse are felt. According to its website, Carillion: delivers more than 32,000 school meals every day to UK primary and secondary schools
cleans over 468,000 square metres of property across 245 schools
provides maintenance services to 683 schools and facilities management to 875 schools.
Among the areas worst-hit by the collapse was Oxfordshire, where the fire service was on standby to deliver 18,000 school dinners.
But, though the firm was not heavily involved in North East schools, a number of the region’s schools held contracts with Carillion.
In 2009, Carillion led a consortium which won a £500m contract from Durham County Council to deliver its Building Schools for the Future project.
It continues to supply “facilities management support services” to Shotton Hall Primary, the Academy at Shotton Hall and Sedgefield Community College.
It is in the “final stages” of groundworks for a proposed extension to Durham Sixth Form Centre, but the contract for the remainder of the work has not yet been awarded.
John Hewitt, Durham County Council’s Corporate Director of Resources, said: “We are continuing discussions with the Cabinet Office and the Local Government Association to fully understand the implications of the announcement and how the insolvency practitioner intends to move forward.
“Clearly our focus is on service continuity throughout what is likely to be a lengthy process as the insolvency practitioner determines the way forward for Carillion’s contracts.
“We are aware that the Government has announced that it will continue to deliver all public sector services following the insolvency of Carillion PLC.”
In South Tyneside, Carillion provided facilities management for both South Shields School and Jarrow School. South Tyneside council say business will continue as usual until another solution is reached.
A spokesman said: “The council has no direct relationship with Carillion.
“Carillion is sub-contracted by an external supplier for two of our schools to manage their facilities and some of their operations.
“The council has been reassured that contingency plans are in place and business will continue as normal until a permanent solution is found.”
Schools in the rest of the region appear to have escaped involvement with the failing firm.
A spokesperson for Newcastle City Council said there was “definitely” no Carillion involvement in any of its schools. North Tyneside is also unaffected, while a spokesperson for Sunderland County Council said he “wasn’t aware” of any impact.
No schools in Northumberland were involved with Carillion.
In Gateshead, Carillion’s ‘Inspired Spaces’ project created Thomas Hepburn and Heworth Grange schools - but its involvement ended after construction completed. A Department for Education spokeswoman said: “Our priority is to ensure schools can continue to operate as usual. We have planned extensively for this and have been working with local authorities and academy trusts since before Christmas to make sure contingency plans are in place.
“We are continuing to offer support to schools help minimise disruption for pupils through our designated advice service.”
But Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the National Education Union, said: “Headteachers and other school staff face another strain on their excessive workloads as they try and make short-term contingency plans and new arrangements for the long-term, while Carillion staff working in and for schools will be anxious about their job security and their pensions.”