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'Time for end to foot-dragging over St Clement's school replacement in Dingwall' is clear call to Highland Council


By Scott Maclennan

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Cllrs Graham Mackenzie and Margaret Paterson are keen to ensure quicker progress on a replacement for a school building described by an MSP as 'Dickesnian'. Picture: Callum Mackay
Cllrs Graham Mackenzie and Margaret Paterson are keen to ensure quicker progress on a replacement for a school building described by an MSP as 'Dickesnian'. Picture: Callum Mackay

A ROSS-shire member of Highland Council's ruling administration has issued a stinging attack on the local authority over the ongoing failure to deliver plans for a new build for St Clement's special school after more than a quarter of a century of campaigning.

The criticism came as the council agreed to borrow tens of millions of pounds to fund five priority school projects – including £13 million for St Clement's.

But still without agreement on a site, no statutory consultation has begun and it will be the last project to be finished.

Councillor Margaret Paterson (Dingwall and Seaforth) declared that simply not good enough and feels local members are being “fobbed off” as one site after another is ruled out.

The council has considered St Clement's a priority since 2018 and promised to find a site followed promptly by a consultation in 2019 That deadline was swiftly abandoned and little progress has been made since.

Under mounting public pressure, the council agreed to borrow the money to fund five replacement schools, including St Clement's and Park Primary in Invergordon, which burned down.

Cllr Paterson said: “I'm sad to say this. I feel that we as a council have dragged our heels in finding a site for our beloved St Clement's school. We as a council have let down the precious children of St Clement's school, their parents, the staff members, and the people of Dingwall who hold the school in high regard.

“Each site that is suggested is thrown out for one reason or another and – I am sorry to say this – but I feel that and sometimes we are being fobbed off. At the beginning of this term four-and-a-half years ago, once again, the four Dingwall and Seaforth councillors declared that St Clement's was top of our list to replace and I don't think we have moved on much, if any.

How we previously reported the story.
How we previously reported the story.

She said: “The time it is taking to replace the not fit for purpose building is unacceptable and I do understand that there's other schools in the Highlands that are in bad condition but this one is for our really special children and it's terrible.”

Fellow councillor Graham Mackenzie, said: “This is a bittersweet moment for us in the community in so far as it is delightful to see a commitment to the full funding of a new school.But we have with the pupils, parents and staff and the whole community have had to endure so many highs and lows during the process of the proposals for this new build.

“A few months ago we were in a state of excitement when we felt we would be coming to this meeting and we would be in the position where we had a site and we would be able to move on to statutory consultation. And yet again we're back to where we were before so my plea is for extreme urgency in moving this project forward with disappointment that it is now shelved to at least 2025.”

Education committee chairman John Finlayson said: “I think it should be reassuring for Councillor MacKenzie and Councillor Patterson that the paper starts with ‘confirmed priorities’ – for me confirmed priorities means it is going to happen and I think all our communities expected it to happen. We're now making progress.

“So let's all keep our chins up and make sure we continue to work together and I know Cllr Mackenzie is concerned about the timescales but if I were going to get five new schools in 2024/25, I think I'll be going out and having a beer or two to celebrate that.”

More on the St Clement's story


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