PLANS for new primary schools in Wick run the risk of lengthy delays after the Scottish Government announced it will be putting the Highland Council's consultation process under the spotlight.
Local councillor Bill Fernie yesterday outlined a worst-case scenario where the allocated money for two new primary schools in the town is used elsewhere – at least temporarily.
The fears were sparked when it was revealed that education minister Mike Russell is to check the process undertaken by the local authority when it consulted on the scheme to close the current four schools and set up two new primary facilities.
However, Mr Fernie, chairman of the education, culture and sport committee, stressed that this is a worst-case scenario and that the call-in by the Scottish ministers could be resolved in as short a time as two weeks.
Mr Fernie told the John O'Groat Journal that if the Scottish ministers feel that consultation guidelines have not been followed, the plan to build the schools could be delayed for up to a year.
"In theory they could ask us to do it all again," he said. "That would obviously be the worst-case scenario as far as we are concerned because that would put a huge delay into building the schools.
"I would guess that by the time we went back out and held public meetings and consultations that would push things back another year."
The scheme would see Hillhead and the North school join together in a new building in Girnigoe Street and a similar merger between Pulteneytown Academy and the South school at a new facility alongside the planned new high school.
Mr Fernie said any substantial delay – up to around six months – could also impact on the funding for the project.
"We have money lined up to spend and if we can't spend it in the time allocation, then we've got to look at other projects," said Mr Fernie.
"That's not to say it wouldn't be replaced in the following year. But you do worry if that was to happen because there are always changes to budgeting and spending.
"As a Wick councillor I'm very keen to see the whole process go ahead as quickly as possible because we want the new schools into the town."
Mr Fernie balanced the warning by saying that in the best-case scenario the whole situation could be resolved in two to four weeks with no major hiccups.
"They may come back and say everything is okay," he said. "We can probably stand a slight delay – a month in the scheme of things is not bad. If it is six months then it gets serious."
Mr Fernie added that if the ministers get back to the Highland Council within a month then things could be kept on schedule.
Local parents' concern about the decision-making process behind the planned closure of Hillhead has prompted this latest development.
Hillhead parent council chairman Dr Ewen Pearson said that 97 per cent of parents at Hillhead were not happy with the proposal. There are a number of issues causing concern – including a perceived lack of information, the lack of a travel plan and worries about an education benefit statement which he claims was copied from another school in another town.
Dr Pearson said he could see no valid reason why this call-in should delay the Wick High School project and stressed that he had been reassured at a recent meeting that the promised investment will still come to the town.
"The councillors voted unanimously for the proposal and said rules were followed," he said.
"But clearly the education minister disagrees, so surely the councillors need to take a long hard look at themselves and their own level of performance?"
Mr Fernie disagreed and said that from the council's point of view the process undertaken was "very thorough".
"We had quite a number of meetings in the town and with parent councils," he said.
"So we think that everyone was informed as much as they could be as to what exactly was happening. Obviously some people will be unhappy with certain aspects of it but that doesn't mean the process was not dealt with properly."
Chairwoman of the Royal Burgh of Wick Community Council Ruth Black said she hoped for a speedy resolution.
"As the chair of the community council I would say that we want what is best for the pupils," she said. "We hope that a solution that benefits the pupils north of the river can be found quickly."
It was expected that the new Wick High School would be completed by 2014 but the introduction of the primary plan could push that date back.
- This story has been amended to reflect the fact that the education benefit statement referred to was not produced by Caledonian Economics, which worked on the project, and the firm is not responsible for the document’s contents.
