Birmingham City Council is set to approve nearly £5 million for urgent fire safety and roof repair works at Lindsworth School in Kings Norton to ensure pupils have a safe learning environment.
Urgent Repairs Needed
A fire risk assessment revealed that fire doors were 'very damaged' and do not meet current fire rating standards. The council also found that many walls have holes that could allow smoke or fire to move between compartments.
The school, which provides support for children with social, emotional, and mental health difficulties, needs around £2.49 million for fire door replacement and compartmentation works. An additional £2.5 million is required for urgent roof replacement and other structural repairs.
Council's Statutory Duty
'The council has a statutory duty to maintain its schools to ensure children have a safe and secure teaching environment,' a council report stated. The flat roofs are significantly deteriorated, and areas of the Cadbury Block are affected by water ingress requiring temporary wire mesh installation.
Temporary mitigation measures have been put in place while the projects are developed. The council warned that 'without intervention, leaks and roof failures will continue to disrupt teaching, damage the building fabric and increase health and safety risks.'
Funding and Next Steps
Cabinet members will consider both proposed projects at a meeting next Tuesday, with funding to come from the School Condition Allocation rather than the general fund.
