Minister for Housing AND Children backs school expansion at old Police HQ

Wednesday 07 October 2020

The Minister with responsibility for both housing and children has said the former Police HQ should go to the next-door primary school, rather than be developed for homes.

Speaking in the States Assembly yesterday, Senator Sam Mézec said that he was “not satisfied” by the state of Rouge Bouillon Primary School and that expansion next door would be an obvious way to improve facilities and create more open spaces.

It comes after Express reported last week on headteacher Russell Price's urgent plea for school improvements.

In a letter to the a panel of politicians reviewing the work of Jersey Property Holdings, which manages the States’ £1bn portfolio of buildings, he explained that the school's facilities were inadequate and poorly maintained. He also argued that the old police station was an obvious site to expand into.

However, States-owned social housing provider Andium Homes has also got its eyes on the vacant plot. Also writing to a Scrutiny panel last week, its CEO said that it could build 59 units on the site.

Pictured: Rouge Bouillon headteacher Russell Price.

But Senator Mézec commented yesterday: “I have visited the school myself and know what a great job the staff do in a building that is clearly not up to the standard.

“There are opportunities with the site next door, whether that is school expansion or something else to provide better facilities, and juggling my roles as Minister for Children and Minister for Housing, in this instance my priority would be the children going to that school rather than using it for housing.”

Answering a question from St. Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft, who asked if Senator Mézec would “put a rocket underneath JPH” to speed up the process, the Minister said he would. 

“I have found that trying to get the best use of Government-owned sites through JPH has been very difficult,” he replied.

“But I have found that you can make good progress when you work together with those with a joint aspiration to present a united front. So, I will be working closely with the Education Minister to make Rouge Bouillon a priority.”

Facing a follow-up question from Deputy Rob Ward about potential improvements to other town schools, Senator Mézec revealed that the Springfield Stadium site had been considered as a potential area of expansion for Springfield School, but noted that improving the school's educational facilities was a "longer term aspiration."