Councillors Mandate £900,000 Sprinkler System for New School Despite Cost Concerns

Proposals to forgo the installation of a £900,000 sprinkler system at a new school, aimed at saving money, have been rejected by councillors. Cambridgeshire County Council was informed that a risk assessment had concluded it would be acceptable to not implement the anti-fire measure at the proposed Alconbury Weald Secondary School. Some councillors argued for “maximising” children’s safety, and the majority subsequently voted to ensure a sprinkler system would be included in the new-build, located near Huntingdon. The council now faces the challenge of sourcing the necessary funds for the sprinkler system from within its £37 million budget for the school, which is planned for the Alconbury Weald development where approximately 6,500 new homes are being constructed. A report submitted to the Children & Young People Committee stated: “The [fire safety] advisor has noted that the academy trust will be able to effectively manage the site and building security and their maintenance and fire safety procedures in accordance with the recommendations of an ‘average risk’ building as detailed within the Department for Education assessment tool.” The report also highlighted other fire protection features to be incorporated into the three-storey school, including a roller shutter fire door between the kitchen and the dining hall, designed to close automatically if a fire alarm is activated, as reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service. The council announced it would now evaluate what potential savings would be required to fund the sprinklers, and indicated that if these savings could not be identified within the project, it would need to inquire about the availability of additional funding. Under a Section 106 agreement for the development, the council is obligated to open the secondary school before 1,350 homes are completed. The authority confirmed that 1,038 homes had been completed by April of this year. The secondary school project was previously put on hold after the engineering and construction contract sum “significantly” exceeded the £37 million budget allocated for the scheme. The council expressed its hope that construction work on the school could commence in May 2025, with an anticipated opening for children in September 2027.