Thirty-five new schools for Essex
BISI1011 BE( K. who, as chairman of the Catholic Education -1-.Council and the Hierarchy's Action Committee, has a large share in the anxieties of all the Catholic school problems in England and Wales, has been looking again into his own "home accounts" for the
Brentwood diocese.
And he finds that he and his people are faced with a school bill that will not be less than £2.500.000 and may eventually amount to over .£3,000.000.
That £3,000,000 would mean £34 for each roan. woman and child in the diocese.
The rapid growth of the diocese— largely because of the entry of thousands of people in new housing areas—has made it necessary to plan for 35 new schools. They will accommodate some 12.000 children—and cost slightly over £2,000.000.
In only a limited 'number of cases will these schools receive any State
New building standards introduced by the 1944 Education Act will cost the Catholics of the diocese about £500.000.
A short-term building programme to meet the most urgent needs in the county of Essex and the county boroughs of Southend-on-Sea and West Ham will cost over £1.000.000. apart from State grants.
On the credit side Bishop Fleck calls attention to the "wonderful generosity and loyalty of clergy and people" in giving in three years £112,000 to the School Building Fund.