Plaid Cymru says half a billion pounds worth of school maintenance backlogs in Wales
A total of 17 local authorities, which held the relevant data, responded to Plaid's research requests, meaning an average backlog of over £30m per local authority in Wales
Last updated 27th Feb 2025
A series of FOI requests from Plaid Cymru has revealed that the total maintenance backlog of Welsh schools is at least £540 million.
A total of 17 local authorities which held the relevant data responded to the requests, meaning an average backlog of £31.9 million per local authority.
The information requests coincide with a NASUWT survey showed that....
"48% of teachers in Wales believed that the condition of their school buildings has ‘deteriorated or greatly deteriorated’ over the last three years."
Plaid Cymru’s investigation also revealed at least 320 schools, almost a quarter of schools in Wales, have a total urgent maintenance backlog of £93,886,111.71.
Plaid Cymru’s education spokesperson, Cefin Campbell, said:
“Half a billion pounds. That is the bill faced by our schools and local authorities after 25 years of Labour negligence.
“The dire condition of our school estates in Wales encapsulates Labour’s record on education after 25 years. A record of neglect, of apathy and of letting our young people down.
“School buildings are a crucial part of our education system; they are buildings that should provide an environment that is safe for teachers and learners. A safe place to learn is the bare minimum a government should be offering our future generation, and Labour are failing at this and are letting our students down.
“It is worrying that this figure of over half a billion is only the bare minimum of the total repair bill faced by Welsh schools. The actual bill is likely to be much higher as some local authorities, unbelievably, do not even have this data.
The Welsh Government says:
“We have invested record amounts in our school buildings over the last 10 years, with 159 new schools being built across Wales and a further 49 still under construction or in planning stages, together with over 40 extensions and 45 refurbishment projects .
"In addition, £286 million has been awarded to local authorities over the same period for repairs and maintenance. We recently announced £35 million in funding for school and college repairs in the next financial year.”
Plaid Cymru now call for a full and detailed national survey to properly assess the condition of school buildings in Wales to get to the root of the issue facing school buildings in Wales.