£43m schools and social housing capital boost will create 800 jobs says Jane Hutt

Schools and social housing projects across Wales are set to benefit from an immediate £43 million capital investment boost, Minister for Finance and Government Business Jane Hutt has announced. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

his investment will also provide a boost to employment in Wales supporting up to 800 jobs – including 300 in the design and build of new schools in our communities and 500 in providing affordable housing. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A total of £23m will be allocated to 21st Century school projects across all 22 local authorities during 2015-16, supporting the rebuild and refurbishment of over 150 schools and colleges. A further £20m will be allocated to the Social Housing grant helping build approximately 230 affordable homes across the country. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Minister made the announcement following a series of visits to previous beneficiaries of Welsh Government capital funding in North Wales. During her time in North Wales, the Minister visited the new Holywell Learning Campus which has received £15.5m through the 21st Century school programme and the Llys Santes Ann affordable housing development which has received £693,000 through the social housing grant. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Jane Hutt said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We have always been clear about the importance of investing in our infrastructure both in terms of the social and economic benefits it brings. Only yesterday I saw these benefits first hand – from the state of the art learning facilities under construction at the Holywell learning campus to the Llys Santes Ann social housing development which is delivering affordable homes for local residents in Wrexham. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I am therefore delighted to be able to announce an immediate boost of £43m for social housing and 21st century schools projects across Wales during this current financial year. Through the Wales Infrastructure Investment Plan we have set a clear direction for infrastructure investment across Wales and the additional funding announced today will deliver real and long-term benefits for people.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Alongside the additional capital investment, the Minister has also published an update of the Wales Infrastructure Investment Plan project pipeline in line with our ambition of providing a comprehensive picture of infrastructure investment across Wales. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​