New toilets plan at Coleraine GS

In a written Assembly question UUP South Antrim Assembly member Danny Kinehan asked the Minister of Education John O’Dowd to detail the funding arrangements and timings for the new school, which will be sited on the grounds of Coleraine Inst at Castlerock Road.

Mr O’Dowd replied: “I understand that recent meetings between the Interim Board of Governors (IBOG), the NEELB and DE officials have clarified the work that needs to be completed and the measures to be put in place to ensure that Coleraine Grammar School is operational from September 2015.

“The works scoped under the on-going Schools Enhancement Programme project at the Coleraine Inst site will be expanded to seek to provide co-educational toilet facilities by September 2015.

“A scheme to re-assign toilets and works to the Assembly Hall changing rooms at the Coleraine Grammar site to make them into 2 separate changing rooms will be required. DE has already approved the increaseto the NEELB capital minor budget by this amount to enable the Board to complete the work in readiness for September 2015.

“Officials are also exploring with NEELB colleagues options for co-educational changing facilities.

“Given the carryover of commitments on expenditure for capital minor works from the 2014/15 financial year and the substantial reduction in the capital budget from 2015/16 onwards, the ability to implement new works will be severely constrained. However, the Department will bid in year for additional resources in order to progress these schemes.”