Portadown College scheme awaits financial approval

Sam Gardiner MLA, the Ulster Unionist Assembly Member for Upper Bann, has revealed that the revised economic appraisal for Lurgan College is now with the Department of Finance for final approval.

"I wrote to the Education Minister to find out what was causing the delay in both the Lurgan College and Portadown College new buildings. I wanted to be satisfied that the Department of Education was not dragging its feet to kick these projects deliberately into the next financial year to cover shortfalls in its budget and in the NI Executive's budget for the current financial year. I have now received a categorical and explicit assurance from the Education Minister that this is not the case."

"The Education Minister has also told me that the amended Lurgan College new build, which incorporates the historic old building, has now passed the economic appraisal stage at the Department of Education and has been sent on to the Department of Finance for final approval. This is good news for both Lurgan College and for the town and surrounding villages."

"The Portadown College amended new build is still being considered under the economic appraisal stage at the Department of Education. It will involve the expenditure of additional money and so it will need to pass that stage before it can progress. The Minister tells me that this additional expenditure will have to be justified in terms of both the Economic Appraisal guidance directions and the practical guide to the Green Book before it can progress to the next stage."

"The Minister also told me that the Economic appraisal for Portadown College's new build was resubmitted for the third time by the SELB on 24 November and is currently being appraised by departmental advisers.The Minister told me that the Portadown College scheme needs to be able to prove that it represents value for money since there is an increase in the capital expenditure involved."

I will be writing to the SELB to ask why it was necessary to submit the Portadown proposal three times, how the circumstances have changed which made this necessary, and to see if there are any ways this proposal might be expedited."