Mix of concerns and hope for North Northumberland MP David Smith over Berwick Academy project

David Smith has been speaking after the Local Democracy Reporting Service revealed last week that the Government said it is unable to commit to providing the £13milion contribution requested by Northumberland County Council – the council will shoulder most of the cost for the initiative – at the moment.

Coun Glen Sanderson, leader of the local authority, recently wrote a letter to the DfE to personally make the case for the additional funding.

But DfE officials have said that they cannot make any commitments on future spending before the next multi-year phase of the spending review. This is due to be completed later this year.

The business case for the project is an important element that has also been raised in previous reports.

In a new statement this week, Mr Smith said: “My focus has not changed. The children of Berwick deserve a safe and pleasant school and a first-rate education, including SEND provision.

“Plans to rebuild the Academy were first announced by Northumberland County Council (NCC) in 2021. I’m rightly concerned, alongside families in Berwick, that the timelines for this crucial project are slipping.

“As MP for North Northumberland, I’m ready and keen to support NCC in its efforts to make progress. As soon as they can make a business case available, I will do everything within my power to secure funding from the Department for Education (DfE).

“The council has already contacted residents to promise a business case and written to the DfE asking for money for repairs to the current school.

“The next step is for NCC to publish this business case as soon as possible, but certainly so that the government can see the detail and make a decision in alignment with the capital budget for the DfE emerging from last week’s Comprehensive Spending Review.

“Without a business case, without that detail, the DfE cannot award funding in a vacuum of the necessary information. I asked to see the business case in December 2024 for exactly this reason, but it has yet to materialise.

“I’m concerned for the future education of children in Berwick and of the great stress this situation is placing on parents and carers. But I believe we can get this done if we work together.”

In response to this statement, Coun Sanderson said: “This council has committed £50million to redeveloping the school system in Berwick and the plans to do this are all on track, if not slightly ahead of time.

“There will be a public event in Berwick before the end of July to share design options and gain local opinions, which will feed into the final business case for consideration by the council.

“Ultimately, funding for the new academy is the responsibility of the Government and we took the unprecedented step of committing funds from our own budget to help meet costs.

“I have written to and spoken with the Secretary of State to push for funding and we look forward to working with the MP to help deliver this hugely beneficial project for the area.”

School Standards Minister Catherine McKinnell said: “Delivering excellence for every child everywhere is a key priority in our Plan for Change and at this Berwick school, our RISE team are working directly with the school leadership and trust to drive up standards for pupils.

“I know the environment of a school plays an important role in these standards, which is why we have increased overall capital budgets by over £1billion a year on average, the highest since 2010 – showing this government’s commitment to the maintenance and renewal of the education estate.

“We are aware of Northumberland County Council’s intention to invest in the school estate in the Berwick area and I would be happy to speak to the council to understand their detailed plans for the school, which they haven’t shared with us yet.”