Council Defers Decision on Amalgamation of Brae Lochaber Schools

The Highland Council has agreed to defer until Thursday 26 October a decision on the future of Roy Bridge Primary School.

Councillor Andy Anderson, Chairman of the Education Culture and Sport Committee,
proposed deferral after reporting that the Council had been advised, very recently, of an additional factor relating to a potential external funding source for the community partnership proposal.

He said: “In order for officials to evaluate the matter further and discuss this with the local steering group, we propose deferral until the Council meeting on 26 October.”

At its meeting on 10 August, the Council’s Education Culture and Sport Committee agreed to amalgamate Roy Bridge Primary School with nearby Spean Bridge Primary School with effect from August 2007. 

This was in favour of a proposal to create a replacement Roy Bridge Primary School through a community initiative with subsequent lease back to the council.

Members at that time took into account that the schools were only three miles apart.  They noted the  27-pupil Roy Bridge Primary was in a very poor condition while Spean Bridge, opened in 2002 as one of the first PPP schools in Highland, had excellent school and community facilities.  With a roll of 67, it had capacity to house 96 primary pupils and 50 nursery pupils.