PLANS to carry out improvements to six primary schools in Wyre Forest are set to go ahead but work planned for another 12 schools remains temporarily on hold, it has been confirmed.

Worcestershire County Council announced last month that work being carried out as part of its Wyre Forest Capital Investment Programme was being temporarily put on hold.

It said the decision was made as a result of increased pressures on capital spending and that the council had “no other option but to reconsider overall spending and cash flow”.

The necessary capital funding will now be available to carry out planned work at St Catherine's CofE Primary, St George's CofE Primary, Stourport Primary, Wilden All Saints CofE Primary, Offmore Primary and Chaddesley Corbett Endowed Primary.

Five of those schools will be rebuilt, while Wilden All Saints CofE Primary School will benefit from “significant capital investment.”

Schools where planned work is temporarily on hold are Baxter College, Franche Community Primary, Cookley Sebright, St Oswald's CofE Primary, Heronswood Primary, Wolverley Sebright Primary, St Anne's CofE Primary, Upper Arley CofE Primary, Lickhill Primary, Comberton Primary, Burlish Park Primary and St John's CofE Primary.

Fran Oborski, Liberal Wyre Forest District Council and Worcestershire county councillor, said she remained concerned about the uncertainty facing many schools.

She explained: “St Oswald’s and Comberton will have particular problems because they have both agreed to increase their admission numbers to help the county cope with increased pupil numbers.

“It seems hardly fair to condemn their pupils to mobile buildings.

“I shall be interested to hear what the county [council] proposes at a meeting called for the affected schools on September 2.”

Conservative, Marcus Hart, county council cabinet member for children and young people (0-11 years and safeguarding), said: "We have not forgotten that work we planned to carry out at other primary schools in Wyre Forest is still temporarily on hold.

“We will continue to review these areas to see if there are any other ways they can be funded but this is not likely to be known until next year."

All major schemes in Bewdley scheduled as part of the programme have been completed, with a large number also being carried out in Stourport and Kidderminster.

The programme has also seen two new schools being created in Kidderminster - Sutton Park Primary School and Birchen Coppice Primary School.

Work carried out as part of the programme to date has included building permanent classrooms in the place of temporary units, internal remodelling and refurbishment work and complete new builds.