La Mare has 'lost expertise' after Treasury 'blocked funds'
EXPERTISE and knowledge will have been lost within the La Mare rebuild project team because Treasury blocked further project funding after the findings of the independent review came to light, Education claims.
It said La Mare schools project team members had been stood down since January and some had been moved to other projects.
Education said it had been able to use some unallocated and existing project funding to retain some involvement from three key consultants over the last two months and other staff within Education had been working on aspects of the La Mare project.
The department was responding after Treasury minister Gavin St Pier revealed, in response to written questions, that it had turned down a request for further project funding from Education in February, given the 'substantive' questions raised in the independent review. Education said it hoped once States approval was given to the La Mare rebuild a majority of the project team could be reinstated, but the reality was that some individuals might be employed on other projects.
'This means that some knowledge and expertise of the project will be lost as new individuals take up their roles,' said a spokeswoman.
