Government pressed on Newman College roof in Parliament

The school has been plagued by issues including leaks, floods, and faulty hot water and heating for several years, which has previously led to the school having to close.

The Newman RC College building is a Private Finance Initiative, meaning the college has no control over the management of the building, which is contractually managed by a third party.

The only way for the school to raise concerns about the building's condition is to contact Oldham Council who lead on its behalf.

Last week, headteacher Glyn Potts MBE shared his frustrations as both the hot water and heating were not working when staff arrived at the school.

Now, Oldham MP Jim McMahon has taken the school’s woes to the Government, in a debate on Monday.

Headteacher Glyn Potts has previously spoken out about the school's leaky roof

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Questioning education minister Damian Hinds, Mr McMahon said: “When it comes to the funding of schools, should not the Government just follow the money?

“Amber Infrastructure, who own the Newman College in Chadderton, took out £80 million of shareholder dividends in the time it’s owned that PFI school.

“The heating system doesn’t work; the roof is leaking—which is affecting 30 classrooms— and now two temporary classrooms have to be built to accommodate the pupils.

“Will the Government intervene and point out to the provider that if the money is there to take in dividends, it is there to fix a roof as well?”

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Mr Hinds responded: “Mr Speaker, I would be happy to follow up with him on the PFI contract at the college he mentions, and worth perhaps some discussions as well with my friend [Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education Robert Halfon].”

Education minister Damian Hinds responded to the question in a debate on Monday (Image: Parliament)

Construction on Newman College was completed in September 2012 after a contract was agreed between Oldham Council and Oldham BSF Limited, then owned by Balfour Beatty in a project worth £175 million.

The Building Schools for the Future programme was part of a nationwide initiative launched in 2004 by then-PM Tony Blair – but was cancelled by then-Education Secretary Michael Gove in 2010 after being criticised as wasteful – something he later said he regretted.

The Oldham Building Schools for the Future project included the delivery of new buildings, upgrades to eight of the borough’s schools, a pupil referral unit, and the construction of Newman College.

In 2016, Balfour Beatty sold its majority shareholding in the Oldham scheme to an investment fund within the Amber Infrastructure Group.

A spokesperson for Amber Infrastructure, the manager of the PFI company which owns Newman RC College on behalf of Oldham Council, said: “We continue to work closely with the Council, school and the facilities manager to ensure Newman College’s facilities are maintained for the benefit of the local community.

“When there are issues with the school building or the quality of the services the Council pays for the school to receive, we work collaboratively with the College and the Council to fix them.”

This article was updated at 1pm on January 31 with a comment from an Amber Infrastructure spokesperson.

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