This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Next stage in school buildings programme
19/03/2003
Almost £750 million is to be invested in rebuilding or refurbishing more school buildings under the second stage of a programme announced today.
Education Minister Cathy Jamieson said:
"It is simply unacceptable that at present there are some school buildings which are not meeting the needs of pupils and teachers in the 21 st century. That is why we are taking action to address the legacy of under-investment in school buildings.
"Last June we announced the first stage of an unprecedented overhaul of Scotland's school estate - almost £1.2 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) for new and refurbished schools in fifteen local authorities.
"Today we are unveiling stage two of this historic package of PPP investment - supporting a further £748 million of capital investment which will see school buildings improved in nine more local authority areas.
"Some schools will be completely rebuilt with the latest facilities and others will be substantially refurbished. Pupils deserve to learn in modern classrooms and teachers deserve to work in well-designed, well-equipped buildings."
Deputy Education Minister Nicol Stephen said:
"Teachers, parents and pupils all told us during the National Debate on Education that the physical school environment is vital to effective learning and teaching.
"Combined investment through PPP of almost £2 billion can leave them in no doubt about our commitment to making a radical difference to the school environment. This Executive, in partnership with local authorities, is taking real action to tackle the decades of neglect in Scotland's schools.
"It is important to remember that PPP is just one of a number of funding routes that continue to make a big contribution to the improvement of our schools. Last month, every local authority received a share of an extra £110 million in grant funding over the next three years for school building improvements.
"All of this additional investment comes against the backdrop of our School Estate Strategy - a long-term strategy for replacing and revamping worn out schools.
"Our vision is a school estate in which all schools are well-built and well-designed, with excellent facilities for pupils, teachers and the wider community."
Local authorities were invited in September 2001 to bid for a share of Executive revenue funding to support school building capital projects under Public Private Partnerships. They were invited to bid in either December 2001 or September 2002 (later extended to December 2002).
Fifteen local authorities entered bids in December 2001. The indicative level of PPP investment supported by the Executive totalled almost £1.2 billion and was announced in June 2002.
Fourteen local authorities bid in December 2002. Offers of funding are being made now to nine of these and the following table shows the indicative level of PPP investment being supported by the Executive in each of the nine local authority areas.
Council PPP funding (£m)
Aberdeen £80 million
Angus £50 million
Clackmannanshire £48 million
East Dunbartonshire £100 million
Edinburgh £180 million
Midlothian £50 million
North Ayrshire £80 million
Perth and Kinross £100 million
Stirling £60 million
Total £748 million
The Executive will continue discussion with the five other local authorities (East Lothian, Eilean Siar, Falkirk, Moray and Scottish Borders) about further development of their bids, with a view to making progress on their school estates. It is hoped that this will enable agreement on projects with these local authorities over the coming months.
The Executive published its School Estate Strategy on February 3, 2003, and announced an extra £110 million in grant funding over the next three years from the Scottish Budget.