Last week I was delighted to hear about the success of the Council's bid to the Scottish Future's Trust (SFT) for funding towards the cost of rebuilding Baldragon Academy. In about five years time pupils and teachers should be moving into their new Baldragon subject to a number of important formalities such as local consultations and gaining planning permission.
The Council's Education Committee approved a bid at their meeting on 25 June 2012 for 'a new build programme and shared campus in the Strathmartine area to include:
• a new Baldragon Academy and
• a new Sidlaw View Primary School, integrated with Jessie Porter Nursery School.'
Unfortunately, only part of the Council's bid was approved; that part for Baldragon Academy.
So while those folk associated with Baldragon Academy will have been feeling upbeat on hearing their positive news, it must have been very disappointing for those associated with Jessie Porter Nursery School and Sidlaw View Primary School to hear that their schools had lost out.
But I don't think we can just leave it there.
I have written to the Education Convener, Stewart Hunter and Education Director, Michael Wood, to ask that they report back to the Education Committee at our next meeting in October. I think we are under an obligation to work out how we will fund that part of the Strathmartine Campus which has not been supported by the Scottish Government.
