Plight of 'past sell-buy date' St Clement's special school building in Dingwall to be raised with Education Secretary by local MSP Kate Forbes

Kate Forbes MSP is to raise St Clement’s, Beauly and Dunvegan school buildings with the Education Secretary at the Scottish Parliament.

Highland Council has statutory responsible for the school estate, and all three schools were part of the council’s bid for the third round of Learning Estate Investment Programme (LEIP) funding from the Scottish Government – which was supported by the Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch MSP.

Successful applicants for the LEIP funding were originally due to be announced in December 2022, but this has been delayed several times.

Citing financial pressures on their capital programme, last week Highland Council decided to postpone all three projects – though they still prioritised a new primary school for Tornagrain, which was part of the same LEIP3 funding bid.

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Now Kate Forbes MSP will raise the matter during this week’s education Portfolio Questions today.

Kate Forbes MSP said: “Highland Council is the responsible body for maintaining and improving school buildings. As MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, I will do everything in my power to help these three Highland schools. Although it is Highland Council’s responsibility, I intend to raise their situation with the Education Secretary in parliament this week.

“I recognise that the delays with Scottish Government LEIP funding have been unhelpful, and this has added to the unprecedented challenges facing Highland Council.

“That said, anyone visiting any of these three schools will know they have been in need of replacement for quite some time now and whilst the LEIP delay has been a hindrance, the bottom line is that the Highland Council has known for years that the Beauly, Dunvegan and St Clement’s buildings are well-past their sell-by dates.

“I take my hat off to the staff and pupils who continue to do their very best in exceptionally trying circumstances.”

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