IS TOWN TO GET BRAND NEW HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING?

Published 19 Aug 2009 17:21

THERE is increased speculation that funding for a new building earmarked for Barrhead High School will be announced next month.

The claim is made by Jackson Carlaw, Conservative and Unionist MSP for West of Scotland, after he received a letter from Scottish Finance Secretary, John Swinney.

The letter states that East Renfrewshire 'is one of the three local authorities that has been in the vanguard of working with the SFT (Scottish Futures Trust) to share best practice and design a common approach to the school buildings programme and we expect that work will underpin the first announcements that we will make in September'.

The 'aanouncement' would also be good news for Eastwood High which has also been put forward for a new building.

East Renfrewshire Conservatives had previously cautiously welcomed news that the SNP government plans to spend £1.25 billion building approximately 55 new schools.

Jackson said: "Parents, pupils and teachers waited in vain for a new Eastwood High and Barrhead High for more than a decade under Labour, so this development is another long overdue source of encouragement.

"The clear implication of the Government's initial announcement, and this latest letter from John Swinney, is that East Renfrewshire will be one of the first councils to benefit when further details about the school building programme is announced in September.

"That is my hope and expectation."

But Ken Macintosh, MSP for East Renfrewshire, will only believe Barrhead High is getting a new building when an announcement is made confirming the speculation.

Ken has been an active campaigner for a new Barrhead High School and told the News in June he thinks it won't be built until 2013 at the earliest.

He said: "This Scottish Government was elected to match our promise for a new Barrhead High School and two and half years later we are still waiting to hear whether we will get any funding at all.

"We know the Tories have already turned their back on Barrhead and Neilston but this letter doesn't give us anything to firm up the SNP's so far empty words."

A Scottish Government spokesman said:

"The Education Secretary announced in May that the Scottish Government would contribute £800m towards £1.25 billion for new school buildings projects, which will deliver an additional 55 new schools.

"We will announce this autumn the first tranche of secondary schools that will benefit from this new funding."

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This article appeared in Barrhead News 19 Aug 09

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