NORTH Ayrshire Council’s Cabinet are to allocate a further £800,000 to complete upgrade works to Auchenharvie Academy’s building – following work by Stevenston Councillor John Sweeney.

The Labour administration at North Ayrshire Council have already invested over £5million on upgrade works at Auchenharvie Academy but the project board found that the budget would only allow the front and sides of the building to be reclad.

Councillor Sweeney has been working with Cabinet colleagues and council officers over the last few months to secure fresh funds to complete the upgrade work and have the back of the building clad too.

As part of the Capital Budget monitoring report, the Labour cabinet have identified £800,000 of funding that is available to undertake the cladding work.

Approval was given at Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting.

Councillor Sweeney said: “This new funding will take Labour’s investment in Auchenharvie Academy to over £6million, an investment that has been badly needed for some years.

“The front and sides of the building are looking great following the cladding work but it was disappointing that the original budget, following design work underseen by the project board, was found to be insufficient to do the whole building. That’s been an issue raised by many constituents in recent months and I am pleased that by working with my colleagues in the Cabinet the required funds for the work have been identified at the earliest opportunity.

“I am looking forward to the upgrade work being completed and seeing the academy, of which I was chair of the Parent Council for many years, benefit from this investment by the Labour Council.”