The County Council is focused on delivering better facilities for the school and want to press ahead with the plans for the new school buildings as soon as possible.

In December the Cabinet agreed £8.8 million to provide new classrooms for maths, science and humanities, and for external works including removing the mobile classroom 'village' and converting the land to playing fields and additional car parking. But plans for new dining and kitchen facilities were referred to the Asset Management Group to be considered alongside all the council's current building priorities.

The County Council's Asset Management Group reviewed the project and they consider that once the existing temporary accommodation is demolished as part of Phase 1 the current dining arrangements cannot cope with the increased numbers of children on the site. Today's agreement means that the dining area will now be available for use when Phase 1 is complete.

There is also a health and safety concern over children and staff in the remaining block being so close to the building works. By using additional temporary accommodation the dining facilities can now be developed as part of the building work in Phase 1.

Dorset County Council Cabinet member for education, Angus Campbell said:

"The new dining and kitchen facilities, costed at £2.2 million, are clearly important for a school of this size and the Cabinet has agreed that this is a priority. I am delighted with this decision and that the governing body has indicated that it will sign up to the Phase 1 brief. We owe it to the pupils and the staff at Lytchett to move ahead as quickly as possible. "

Mr Campbell continued:

"But the point must also be made that the County Council has cleared its coffers to be able to support Lytchett Minster and this commitment leaves us without any flexibility in the capital budget."

David Goddard, Dorset County Council director of education said:

"We have worked very closely with the school on fine-tuning the details of Phase 1. The School have indicated that they are now able to sign off the final brief so we can get cracking. Inflation on building projects is currently running at 10%, which means that on this £11 million project delay is costing us £23,000 a week. Clearly this cannot be sustained and we will begin the building work as soon as possible."