Two schools in Broadstairs and the QEQM Hospital in Margate will receive funding from the government
Some £1.2 billion funding is being granted to deliver public infrastructure improvements through the government’s Plan for Change.
Funding of £750 million will go to 400 hospitals, mental health units and ambulance sites to tackle long-term problems such as leaky pipes, poor ventilation and electrical issues, and £470 million is pledged for 656 schools and sixth forms for projects like fixing crumbling roofs and removing dangerous asbestos.
Labour MP for East Thanet, Polly Billington MP, has welcomed the announcement that pupils at The Charles Dickens School and Upton Junior School, both in Broadstairs, will benefit from a pot of £20.6 million being invested in schools across the South East, through the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF).
Upton will spend money on an urgent foul water drainage replacement while Charles Dickens will carry out urgent roof refurbishment.
Polly Billington MP, said: “Children in East Thanet deserve more than to have to learn from dilapidated classrooms and crumbling schools, which is why I’m so pleased that after years of neglect we have a Labour government that is investing in education again.
“With free breakfast clubs, cheaper uniform costs, and now safer school buildings, Labour is backing parents and ensuring every child gets the best start in life, and not just the privileged few.”
Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, said:“The defining image of the school estate under the previous government was children sitting under steel props to stop crumbling concrete falling on their heads. It simply isn’t good enough.
“Parents expect their children to learn in a safe warm environment. It’s what children deserve, and it is what we are delivering.
“This investment is about more than just buildings – it’s about showing children that their education matters, their futures matter, and this government is determined to give them the best possible start in life.”
East Kent Hospitals are also named as receiving funding of £13.2 million for QEQM and William Harvey hospitals to carry out works to electrical and water systems, plant equipment and roof works.
Ms Billington added: “After years of neglect, staff and patients in Thanet have been left in crumbling buildings that are in desperate need of refurbishment. That situation needed urgent action, so I’m really pleased to see our new Labour government delivering £13 million for East Kent hospitals, including vital upgrades at William Harvey and QEQM Hospitals. This is a major step towards getting more patients seen and getting our NHS in Thanet fighting fit again.”
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting, said: “A decade and a half of underinvestment left hospitals crumbling, with burst pipes flooding emergency departments, faulty electrical systems shutting down operating theatres, and mothers giving birth in outdated facilities that lack basic dignity.
“We are on a mission to rebuild our NHS through investment and modernisation. Patients and staff deserve to be in buildings that are safe, comfortable and fit for purpose. Through our Plan for Change, we will make our NHS fit for the future.”
Projects will be delivered during the 2025 to 2026 financial year, with the first upgrades expected to begin this summer.
