Promised for 2013-14: £6.7m for 3 new Cowal primary schools

The Scottish Government has announced that £6.7 million will be made available in 2013-2014 towards building new primary schools in Cowal – for Dunoon Primary School, Kirn Primary School, and St Munn’s Primary School.

The first tranche of the £1.25 billion Scotland’s Schools for the Future programme will see every local authority benefit.

Across Scotland, funding will be made available for 14 secondary schools, 20 primary schools and one special school, with the Scottish Futures Trust working in partnership with the councils to deliver the new projects.

Keith Brown, Minister for Skills and Lifelong Learning, says: ‘Scotland’s Schools for the Future represents much needed Government investment – over #300m through this first tranche – which will benefit pupils, teachers, families and the local community in Dunoon, as well as across the length and breadth of Scotland.

‘We have already lifted over 110,000 pupils from schools in poor condition, reversing the trend of under-investment and neglect in Scotland’s school estate. Today’s announcement will see a further 18,000 pupils and over 1,300 teachers move to fit-for-purpose, modern learning facilities that meets the needs of education in the 21st Century.

‘The timescales agreed for the first tranche set out a way ahead that is affordable and realistic for both the Scottish Government and the councils, given the current economic climate. Of course, through councils own resources, they may be able to start procurement, design and – in some cases – building prior to Government funding coming on stream.

‘Despite the prospect of a reduced budget from Westminster, our #1.25 billion school building programme demonstrates our overwhelming commitment to our young people and to Scotland’s communities. This investment will boost the local economy across the country, creating and maintaining employment in the years ahead’.

Barry White, Chief Executive, Scottish Futures Trust, says: ‘Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) is working closely with councils to deliver Scotland’s Schools for the Future programme, which will build high quality, well designed and sustainable schools while ensuring best value for the taxpayer.

‘Because of the huge scale of Scotland’s Schools for the Future programme, SFT will be able to make savings which will bring real benefits to taxpayers for many years to come’.

Council Leader welcomes announcement

.Councillor Dick Walsh says that the update, which re-states the Government’s funding commitment to the schools building initiative and confirms that the proposed Dunoon Primary Campus is included in the list of projects to receive funding was ‘welcome and very positive’.

The council is currently developing an outline business case for the proposed project – to be completed by Christmas.

In November 2009, the Government announced that 21 bids had been successful in the latest round of school funding applications.

One of these was Argyll and Bute’s proposal to amalgamate the three primary schools in Dunoon – Dunoon, Kirn and St Mun’s – and associated nurseries into one new-build campus.

Dick Walsh says that: ‘Although the project is still at an early stage of development, it is one which we believe represents an exciting and innovative solution to the significant challenges posed by Dunoon’s deteriorating primary school buildings.

‘Over the next few months, we will continue to develop an outline business case in consultation with our partners, including the Roman Catholic Diocese of Argyll and the Isles.

‘We will of course be consulting with parents and all other interested parties as the plans progress and we start to draw up a firm proposal’.

Background

The first tranche investment from the Scottish Government will be over £300 million – subject to inflationary increases based on when funding comes on-stream.

Building work on the first projects will commence in 2010. We would expect the first primary school to be completed in 2011, with the first secondary school completed in 2013.

The Scottish Government is funding the construction of secondary schools on a 67%/33% basis with local authorities, although primary school projects are on a 50/50 basis on like-for-like facilities. In total, the Scottish Government will contribute a £800 million share of the £1.25 billion provided through Scotland’s Schools for the Future.