A SCHOOL which spends its entire maintenance budget on fixing vandalism is still waiting for a security fence to be constructed – two years after it was first promised.
St John Vianney school in The Inch is a constant target for vandals, who climb on to the roof and smash windows.
Despite the police recommending the installation of a fence 2.4 metres high, the city council insists it does not have the funds for
the project, meaning the school will have to continue to fork out for vandalism repairs of thousands of pounds in the meantime.
Last year the repair bill for vandalism was £7500 – £1285 more than the school's total budget for minor maintenance.
It means the primary will be forced to meet the costs at the expense of other maintenance works at the school, which is why stopping the vandals entering the school is now even more important than ever.
One parent council member said: "The budget is supposed to be for all the maintenance in the school but we spend it on vandalism alone.
"We used to get the money back and we could use it for textbooks, part-time staff, painting classrooms etc but now all our money and more is going on vandalism.
"We were told that we would get the fence, which would really help to cut out the vandalism but it hasn't materialised."
Nigel Griffiths, Labour MP for South Edinburgh, is calling on the council to take urgent action to address the vandalism problem by paying for the security fence.
He has visited the school with police, who recommended a number of security improvements were carried out.
Mr Griffiths said: "This is a very good school and it's being undermined by the failure of the council to secure the school from petty vandalism which disrupts the work of the teachers.
"For almost two years the council ignored the police recommendation which has meant teachers and pupils have had to clear up after vandalism, instead of getting on with learning.
"And instead of spending thousands of pounds on senseless vandalism, the council should have invested thousands in security measures.
"Now the school does not even have enough money left over to undertake minor repairs."
A city council spokesman said: "We remain committed to erecting a security fence at the school but because of the expensive nature of the work and our current financial constraints, it is something we will do in the future.
"In the mean time, we will work closely with police to help tackle vandalism problems at the school."
