The Mornington Primary School needs $45,000 for desperately needed repairs to the heritage building and the Minister will only come up with $22,500.

 

Unless the Minister relents the school will be forced to fund the balance of the works from the school community. Clearly the government is neglecting their responsibility to maintain the school.

 

Only $11,000 is available to the school each year for urgent works and is completely unsatisfactory to expect the school to spend the next two years allocation on one job.

 

In effect the school will not be able to meet the cost of any other repairs that become necessary in the next couple of years, nor carry out essential but unplanned maintenance.

 

The building is used for meetings, as a classroom and staff room and the leaking roof has caused major disruptions over the past six months. The 19^th century building is most certainly at risk and the moisture has the potential to compromise its structural integrity.

 

Delays to repair the leaking roof will only add to the problem in the long term. 

 

“I call on the Minister to stop trying to pass the buck to the community, find the money and get these repairs done before the Christmas break”, Mr Morris said.