Sawtry school gets £2 million boost to address serious health and safety concerns in school buildings

Councillors at Cambridgeshire County Council’s Children and Young People committee met today (Tuesday) and approved a proposal for a £2million contribution towards the redevelopment of Sawtry Village Academy to address serious health, safety and wellbeing issues resulting from the poor condition of the school buildings.

Local authorities are not funded to address the condition of academy school buildings but we do have a responsibility for the health, safety and wellbeing of all children in the county. In this case serious failings in school leadership contributed in a major way to the poor condition of the school’s buildings, which is unacceptable.

The council’s proposed investment would represents a significant contribution towards addressing the urgent need to improve the school accommodation in what are exceptional circumstances.

Earlier this year James Stewart, the former head of Sawtry Community College - which has since been renamed Sawtry Village Academy - was jailed for four years after pleading guilty to fraud.

Huntingdon Crown Court heard Stewart had swindled thousands from the school during his time at the school - while important repair work was not carried out.