MAINTENANCE OF COLLEGE

Chronicle (Levin), 11 May 1949, Page 4

MAINTENANCE OF COLLEGE

New Scheme Relieves Board Oi Financial Anxiety "-It sSenis to m'e that-as a result bf this sSheifie we are goihg to be Bndbwbd with rlches we- won't know what to do wfih," was the iighthearted remark of the actingchaibman, Mr. £). P. Todd, at this mdntn s meeting- of the Horowhentia College Advisory Board, when. cbniiheh .ing . on . a circular l etter froih the Education Departihent Sectihg out' the new s'chCme for Sbbbhaafy schb'ol 'finance. It: will provide more money for secondary schoo s and at the same ame free advisory boards from financial anxiety. • The first point in the letter, an,d one which called forth considerable comment from members, deait wi.h endbwmeht fuhds .left to schoo's. These nbw 'have to be harided to the, department. The department wiil become responsible fbr th'e wages of all cleaners, g'f'duhdsrhen and painters, and far the fiill cost of the maintenance bf buildings.

Disposing Of Surplus. A new^ basis Ms been introduced for the calcfiiatibn of incidental experfditufe. Fdf Svery teaching ha f-day up to the first 100, £12 has Been aliowed, ahd £1'0 for everyLgachmg half-day in excess of 100. This is the basis for day classes, whiie for. evening classes £15 per teaching half-day has been aliowed. However, two per ceht bf the total amount for day classes and £3 in every £15 fdf evening classes -must be set aside for«a renewa; s reserve accolint. ; Building inspectors will be appointed tb contrdl the maintenance of buildings and grounds. The purpose. -of the scheme^ said the ietter, was to rea-ch, as near as possible, an equitabie babis of diSLrifcution of fufids fbr 9,11 sfehools, and to give bo'ar'ds g'reater freedpm and besponsibifity in administering their own affairs. The secietdry, Mr. N. A. Bytnej 'advifeed the ijodrd that he had refceived a cheque for ihe first six mbnths-, assessed at £1600. He did hot khbw how this had been ariived at. On the basis set down, he had coihbuted the sum at £2,500 for the year. Besides >.he £1600 he |had received a further £180 for the wages of the c eaner and groundsman. "This is an embarrassment," he added. On the fiew rates of pa-y, the groiindsman was paid the same wage as the caretaker, conlinued Mr. Byrne. The board had been paying the latter considerab'y in excess bf this amount, however.. If the mbhey . seht Was correct, the board cbuld pay the gr'oundsman the normal wage and increasB the caretaker's* waee. The reason for this was that the caretaker often ha'd tb work at nigh:, he added. The chaitman: We dott't want an excesS in the wages aeeount. > Mr. Byrne poihted out that the income was to be spent on the replaeement of materia's and equipment and p.her limited items. What was tp be done when an urgefit repair'job necessitated attentioh, asked the chalrman. Would ihe advispry board 'get the job dbfie and then" ring the education board and tell it?

Mr. D. K. Guy warned the advisory board against sucli a procediire, remarking that.it would be bett'er to give prior 'advice that a job had to be done. Who would be responsib'e for grouhd development, asked Mr. W. G. Clark. Mr. Byrne: That is the Government's worrv. Basis Of Calciilation. He went on to explain the renewals reserve account, remarking tha; it wou'd be for the replaceinent of equipment. Any surplus from the grant would go into a general fund and the advisory board would be free to spend-it on ahything reasonably connec'ed with the schop1. During the year in which the money was received it could only be spent on restricted iteihS; however. Depar^mentai inspecting accountants would be visiting the school more often than before. They had been instructed to be more helpful than inquisitorial. The chairman asked what was going to happen about the painting of the school. As soon as the building inspector arrived a principal would te'l him that the school required painting and the iob would be done, replied Mr. Byrne. The school would not have to find any portion of the cost. The large schools which had big funds endowed to them by legacies were going to be "very sore," eom-me-nted Mr. Todd. It was going to bC a vety touchy point with them.