Highland school building programme to focus on Lochaber and Easter Ross

Proposals to replace two primary schools in Fort William and three in Easter Ross with two new schools (one in each area) have been approved for submission to the Scottish Government by members of The Highland Council’s Education, Culture and Sport Committee today.

Replacement of the five schools with two new schools forms Highland Council’s submission for the first phase of the Scottish Government’s national School Building Programme for primary schools.

Council members have endorsed Hugh Fraser, Director of Education, Culture and Sport’s response to the Scottish Government which was submitted on the 23rd October, 2009.

The proposals include: a new primary school in Fort William replacing Fort William Primary and Upper Achintore Primary; and in Easter Ross the replacement of Obsdale Primary, Ardross Primary and Newmore Primary with one new primary school.

Members agreed that the new school in Fort William is the higher priority on the basis that it would result in a higher number of pupils being accommodated in improved facilities. They also noted that for any proposal to amalgamate schools a statutory consultation will need to be carried out.

Ron MacKenzie, Head of Support Services, Education Culture & Sport, emphasised that at this stage the recommendations to the Scottish Government are proposals and that the relative merits of the Highland proposals will be assessed by the Government alongside those from other local authorities. An announcement about which schools nationally will attract 50% funding support from the Scottish Government is expected in December, 2009.

In addition he said “that any proposal to amalgamate schools would be subject to a statutory consultation process”

Leader of The Highland Council’s Administration Councillor Michael Foxley said: “I am very pleased to see this new bid going in to the Scottish Government. We have over a quarter of poor schools in Scotland here in the Highlands. We need more than our fair share of the funding as we have more than our fair share of poor schools.”

He added: “In Lochaber we have been informally driving this new joint school for Upper Achintore and Fort William Primary School for eight years. This is a real opportunity to build a new school with new community facilities for the whole of Fort William. All four Ward councillors are very supportive and are delighted that this bid is being made. We want to see this new school in Fort William built as soon as possible.”