At the Education Committee on Monday 28 March, Councillor Ken Guild Leader of the Council and also a Ferry Councillor, led moves to block the extension and refurbishment of Barnhill Primary School.
I had formally
asked the Education Committee to agree to the preparation of a feasibility study for the extension and refurbishment of Barnhill Primary School with a report back to Committee by November 2011. This was supported by evidence of rising numbers of parental requests for places in P1, accommodation in the school under pressure, a nursery accommodated in huts and many more planning permissions pending for new homes in the school's catchment area. There was also £5 million already earmarked for Barnhill Primary School in the Council's capital plan for future development.
Despite the support of three out of the four Ferry Councillors, the
Education Convener Councillor Fordyce amendment was voted through for the Director of Education "to carry out an extensive review of the whole Schools and Nurseries Estate in Dundee. This will include all schools and nurseries in the West End of the City, Central and Eastern areas, schools North and South of the Kingsway and all of Broughty Ferry, in order to achieve a complete picture of how we can provide the best possible educational facilities for the children of Dundee." This review, we were told, will be brought back to the Education Committee by the end of November.I shall continue to advocate the development of public services in Broughty Ferry so that schools and other services have the capacity to meet the needs of our rising population arising from new housing developments.
