Headteachers must be more “community conscious” or face not having their schools rebuilt, Sandwell’s school chief has warned. The stern warning has come from Councillor Ian Jones, cabinet member for education.
Sandwell is currently drawing up plans to pump millions of pounds into rebuilding or revamping schools.
The plans will mean that Sandwell will have some of the most up-to-date schools in the country with state-of-the-art facilities.
But Councillor Jones said he was concerned schools often stood empty at night.
He said it it was daft that local communities were crying out for modern facilities which schools would have, but people could not use them because the buildings were not open.
He said: “It seems wrong that we will have these fantastic buildings with state-of-the-art facilities and yet they will not be used at night.”
Councillor Jones said he would be warning headteachers that unless they signed up to let their schools be used at night by the local community he would not release the money for them to be rebuilt.
“Obviously it would not be up to headteachers to run the schools at night.
“They should spend all of their time concentrating on pupils’ performances. But we have got to look at ways of making our schools dual purpose so they are used by pupils and the community.”
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