EXTRA work to remedy 'acoustic defects' in East Lancashire super schools has been rubberstamped by county council chiefs.

County council leader Cllr Phillippa Williamson and her deputy, County Cllr Alan Vincent, resources cabinet member, have signed off an 'urgent decision' for 'Phase 3' schools from the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme.

No exact figure has been published for the expenditure - but a decision notice published as part of next week's county council cabinet papers lists the bracket as '£2.2m plus' for 'acoustic defects remediation'.

An accompanying report, ratified behind closed doors, says the decision covers the 'consideration of proposals in relation to remediation works for the BSF Phase 3 Schools, subject to the agreement of suitable terms'.

No further details are given of which schools are involved - but 'Phase 3' covers Burnley's Blessed Trinity RC Community College, The Rose School and the former Hameldon Community College site.

County council chiefs have previously approved the move of Broadfield Specialist School to the Hameldon site in Coal Clough Lane. Hameldon itself closed in 2019.

The spending has emerged after the Lancashire Telegraph revealed in January that ongoing issues over super school 'defects' were at the centre of legal fights totalling £14m.

One dispute centring on the 'Phase 3' schools alone was said to amount to £1.76m.

The High Court ruled it was correct to join the county council with an action relating to 'Phase 2' schools, including Sir John Thursby Community College and Ridgewood School.

The former Catalyst Education Lancashire (Phase 2), now known as Lancashire SPC Phase 2, the private finance initiative (PFI) project company responsible for the BSF schools, had been given notice by the county council of intended deductions from various payments due to the former.

Lawyers had taken out interlinked £1.42m claims against construction firm Lendlease (Europe) - then known as Bovis Lend Lease - and facilities management company Equans - which used to trade as Vita Lend Lease, alleging acoustic, wall tie, fire, architectural, civil and structural, mechanical and engineering, and energy and render defects and wanted LLC to form part of the proceedings.

Another third legal action, for 'Phase 1' Schools, covering Burnley Campus, which includes Thomas Whitham Sixth Form, Barden Primary, Reedley Hallows Nursery and Holly Grove special school, Pendle Vale Campus, covering Pendle Vale College and Pendle Community High, and Shuttleworth College, is said to amount to £5m.

And a fourth case, for 'Phase 2A' schools, amounts to £2.74m, covering Marsden Heights Community College in Pendle and Unity College in Burnley.