HEALTH and safety problems at Hreod Parkway School could force it to close unless Swindon Council releases nearly £1 million it promised for building improvements more than seven months ago.

The money is needed to fund work on crumbling floors, roofs, toilets and sewers.

It was allocated to the school in the council budget in May, but headteacher Andrew Fleet has still not seen a penny and he claims the situation is urgent.

The safety of the buildings on the school site was one of the reasons it failed its Government Ofsted inspection in April.

The long-term plan is to re-build the entire school to the south of Akers Way, but that is likely to be four or five years off and is reliant on a bid for private money by the council.

Mr Fleet warned that if it delays much longer, the governing body could be forced to close part or all of the site.

"It is a frustrating situation because this expenditure is detailed in our action plan and the council's plan to address the school's weaknesses, but we are still waiting.

"These are old buildings which have been there since the 1960s and their lifespan has expired and no school could find the sort of money we need from its own budget.

"I hope we don't have to go down the route of closure because we've made significant strides since our Ofsted report and it wouldn't be good for pupil and staff morale and the confidence of parents."

Parts of the site that need improvements are the science labs, toilet facilities, security fencing and security doors, floor tiles, drains, sewers, fire doors and fire call points.

Councillors and officers are in dispute over whether the money a total of £960,000 - should be spent now on repairs or saved until next year to be spent on extra accommodation to meet the demand for more school places.

The council's finance director, Ian Thompson, claimed the money was earmarked for extra accommodation and using it for repairs would only create problems elsewhere.

Labour councillor and a governor at the school, Kevin Small (Western), said the problems have become so serious that its insurers have raised the excess from £50,000 to £250,000.

He said: "The state of the buildings is at the most serious end of the scale and this money needs to be spent now.

"I don't want to blame anyone for this, but I would ask the Conservative group to assure me the school will get it soon. If it doesn't get the money quickly, I will start blaming someone."

Lead member for education, Garry Perkins (Con, Dorcan) said he had asked Mr Fleet to draw up a list of repairs that cannot wait.

"The money is still in the budget but there is discussion over whether it is there for new build or maintenance. I'm well aware of the health and safety issues and I'm trying to get some of it released to address those.

"It may mean that we spend around £500,000 now and save the rest for extra accommodation, but it depends on how extreme the current needs are."