Improvemtns to schools could be brought forward if Tynwald gives its permission this month. The Minister for Education and Children will ask the October sitting for the go-ahead to increase his Department’s minor capital expenditure budget in 2011/12 from the agreed ?2 million to ?2.5 million to allowed already planned work to be brought forward. At Ballakermeen High School, a new fiction library and learning space will be created as an integral part of the English faculty, allowing the old fiction library to be freed up for much-needed post-16 teaching space. The vote would allow planning and design work to take place sooner than scheduled on a first floor extension to create a consolidated English facility at Ramsey Grammar School. Moving this design stage of the scheme forward would mean construction work could take place over the summer holidays 2012. At Queen Elizabeth II High School, a new plant room and woodchip store would be created under an eco initiative that has already benefited from funding from the Energy Initiatives Fund. The vacation of the existing boiler house would make way for the enlargement of the kitchen and dining room, a scheme that’s in the estimates to progress into design in 2012/13. Accelerating projects will improve school facilities and provide an important fillip for the contractors and suppliers during current times. Ends