NEW schools in Monmouthshire could have their maintenance budgets slashed as the county council copes with “significant” budget pressures brought on by build costs.

The proposed changes would see funding cut for building work at new schools within five years of their opening, as the council say “maintenance costs will be lower”.

The move would save the council £116,570 - but the funds would not be fed back to the schools.

Instead, the savings would be used by the council if they need to borrow money for future 21st Century Schools projects.

The budget cuts would affect six schools in the county: Caldicot School, Raglan VC Primary, Thornwell Primary, Rogiet Primary School, Dewstow Primary and Monmouth Comprehensive, which is set to open in September.

Maintenance in the five years following the initial five-year period would be funded but only with half of the original funds.

The exact amount distributed to these schools would be determined by the school’s floor space and pupil count.

Council officers say that the six new schools remain within warranty periods during which they can claim funding for maintenance.

Despite this the local authority are continuing to set aside money that they say will not be used for building maintenance.

The plans were shown to schools as part of a consultation between September and November last year. Out of 19 responses to the consultation, 10 were in favour of the plans while four disagreed.

In their objection, Caldicot School said that the proposals were “based on assumptions and not financial evidence”.

They also claimed that the new school maintenance costs will be more than double the cost of the old buildings, which are currently being demolished.

Three other schools agreed but called for the funds to be redistributed to schools.

At a meeting of the council’s children and young people committee on Thursday, co-opted member Michael Fowler said the cuts were “substantial chunk” out of school budgets.

Cllr Tudor Thomas, member for Abergavenny’s Priory ward, described the cuts as “draconian”, adding: “Schools are not like an office where people go through things more gently. When you have 1500 children plowing through at end of school, it’s quite different.”