Lea Hough Chartered Surveyors are pleased to announce that the results of the 2023-24 Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) have been released, with major funding secured for schools across the North West.
Across the North West, a total of 158 schools have been awarded funding, with the majority of the money going towards essential building repairs, maintenance and compliance works.
The successful projects include: roof repairs, boiler & central heating replacements, electrical upgrades, windows & doors, safeguarding improvements, boundary fencing, fire safety improvements, and gas and ventilation compliance.
The funding success for Lea Hough’s academy school clients comes against a backdrop of reduced funding nationwide. For the 2023-24 round, the CIF funding pot has decreased from £498m to £456m, despite inflation at around 11%. This year’s CIF round saw 372 fewer projects approved nationally compared to last year, equating to a drop of 25%. The government has revealed that of the applications made, 66% of applications went unfunded.
Lea Hough achieved a success rate that was more than double the national average, representing a significant buck in the national trend.
The CIF is an annual funding programme that provides capital funding to academies, sixth-form colleges and voluntary-aided schools for building work and repairs. This year, a total of 1,033 projects have been granted funding across the country.
Michael Harrison, Partner and Head of Lea Hough’s Education team commented:
“We are delighted with these latest results and that we have once again been able to help schools achieve such significant levels of funding for much-needed projects. We are proud to assist local schools to maintain safe, modern and efficient school buildings to help ensure children can get the best out of their education.
“Over the years we have been specialising in the education sector, we have helped schools to secure CIF funding in excess of £53 million. Our ongoing relationships with our school clients has allowed us to see the positive impact obtaining CIF funding has on academy schools and their pupils.
“We would encourage any schools that have been unsuccessful in this year’s round but are keen to undertake building improvement projects over the coming years to get in touch with us to find out if future funding may be possible”.
Lea Hough Chartered Surveyors have extensive experience in providing surveying and project management services to schools and academies across the North West. We understand the importance of maintaining and improving school buildings to provide a safe and comfortable learning environment for pupils.
We work closely with schools and academies to identify their specific requirements and provide tailored solutions to meet their needs. Our team can provide a range of services, including condition surveys, project management, and cost advice.
If you are a school or academy in the North West and would like to discuss our CIF funding application services, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team today. We can provide expert advice and support to help you make the most of the funding available to ensure that your school buildings are safe and fit for purpose.
