A New Combined School For Conon Bridge and Maryburgh

This morning (Thursday 11 August) following a debate lasting two and a half hours, members of the Education, Culture and Sport committee voted in favour of the amalgamation of Maryburgh and Conon Bridge primary schools subject to the identification of a suitable site.

The new 260 pupil school, which will be funded by the Council’s Capital Programme, is estimated to cost £3.5 million and is expected to be completed in 2008/09.

At the start of the meeting, the Director of Education, Culture and Sport, Bruce Robertson gave members a review of the presentation which he had given to public meetings in Conon Bridge and Maryburgh in which he laid out the consultation process, explained about the criteria of the Council’s 21st Century Schools Estate Strategy which allow a comparison between schools needing replacement or repairs to be made and then went on to describe the options and implications for both communities.

His committee report outlined the outcome of the public consultations and members were asked to consider (1) the amalgamation of Maryburgh and Conon Bridge schools and to build a new school on the existing Conon Bridge site or to amalgamate the schools and (2) to build a new school on a new site yet to be identified within the delineated areas covered by the two schools. In the reports summary the Director recommendation was that Councillors agree to option 1.

Following the debate, Local Councillor Angela MacLean put forward an amendment that in recognition of the views that have been expressed during the consultation, the committee be asked to recommend the status quo for the refurbishment of Maryburgh School and repairs to Conon Bridge School.

Councillor Richard Durham then put forward another amendment that supported amalgamation of the schools subject to a number of conditions surrounding the identification of a new site. The Chairman then withdrew the original recommendation laid out in the Directors report and supported this amendment which Councillors voted for 20 votes to 11.

Speaking after the meeting, the Chairman of Education, Culture and Sport, Councillor Andy Anderson said: "I was very pleased with the quality of the debate we had this morning and lots of serious points were made. In my mind the status quo was not an option so therefore I am delighted that the Committee voted in favour of a new combined primary school. Making the decision has not been easy but we will now be able to create a C21st school with C21st community facilities which will provide an excellent educational learning environment for future generations."

Director Bruce Robertson said: "The decision made today has not been easy put I believe that in the long term both the communities of Conon Bridge and Maryburgh will be strengthened by coming together to share the very best facilities for pupils. During our consultations we looked at three different sites and found none of them to be suitable so we must now go and look again at finding potential sites that can house a school a top quality school that both communities deserve.