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Disposals and Grant Recovery Following the Closure of Schools

Following closure of a school, where the site has been wholly of partly funded by Government grants, the proceeds or an appropriate proportion of them should be repaid to Government.

The Department distinguishes between cases where there is a school closure without replacement, and where a replacement school is provided. The arrangements for each in regard to voluntary and maintained sectors are set out below.

Grant-Aided Schools

Where public monies have contributed to building a grant-aided school the public purse shares in the proceeds from the disposal of the property. Where the Trustees of a grant-aided school have also contributed to its building they are entitled to an equitable share of such proceeds.

In recovering grants the main principles followed are:

  • When a school ceases to be used to that purpose, then the public purse is entitled to recover public funds.
  • The amount of grant recovered by the Department and the amount retained by the Trustees should be commensurate with the original contribution from both parties.
  • On closure of a grant-aided property the Department is entitled to recovery based on the value of the property as assessed by the District Valuer.

Controlled Schools

Controlled schools are owned by Education and Library Boards and are therefore publicly-owned. The proceeds from any sale are returned to the public purse.

Useful Documents

More information on grant recovery and the disposal of public sector property can be found by clicking on the links below.

More detail about the background to grant recovery (PDF 35.7KB

The Voluntary Schools Building Grant Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1993 (PDF 359KB) - regulations 9-14 deal with grant recovery.

Arrangements for Capital Grants Recovery (PDF 25 KB) - this sets out how grant recovery is calculated.

Disposal of Surplus Public Sector Property (PDF 805KB) - this guidance is followed by Education and Library Boards in the disposal of Controlled School property.