Conservatives and Reform UK vote against removing £63.3 million scheme, after cheaper alternative is proposed!

The Liberal Democrats proposed expanding 3 Worcester schools at the massively reduced cost of £8.5 million. Alternatively the Conservatives and Reform UK groups voted to keep a new school costing £63.3 million, in the capital spending programme.

At full council on Thursday 16th July, cabinet proposed replacing the stalled secondary school with expansions to three existing schools, a plan that would have met demand for school places in Worcester without saddling residents with a £33.6 million loan, and the ongoing £3.6 million a year it costs to service the debt. Reform UK and Conservative councillors voted it down, complete u-turn on Reform UK councillor's previous stance in November 2025.

The result: council tax could rise by 1% next year to pay for a school that exists only on paper, on land the council has never purchased, on a site campaigners have already flagged for serious traffic problems.

Cllr Dan Boatright-Greene, cabinet member for Education, SEND and Skills, said:

"This school has become a financial nightmare for the council. What was originally meant to be covered predominantly by government funding has now become a huge loan that will cost the council £3.6 million a year in repayments for the foreseeable future."

"Local schools have been fantastic in finding ways to expand to ensure local young people can stay in their communities, rather than being transported to schools in Malvern and Pershore, as Reform UK proposed back in November 2025."

“The land has not been purchased by the council, nor is it a suitable site for a school of that size given the traffic issues. The irony is we now have a proposal for a school on land we don't own. So unless they're proposing a floating school in Worcester, the whole situation is becoming increasingly ridiculous.”

Cllr Boatright-Greene has confirmed the additional funding to expand local schools will go ahead, so that we can deliver the school places Worcester needs for £8.5 million instead of £63.3 million.

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