Talks raise hopes cash can be found for crumbling schools

Published on Friday 2 January 2009 09:09

HOPES that four of Edinburgh's crumbling schools could be rebuilt have been raised after city leaders revealed they are in talks with the Scottish Government over new ways of funding the project.

Council chiefs are bidding to have at least one of four schools – Boroughmuir, James Gillespie's, St Crispin's Special School and St John's Primary School – included as a pilot project for the Scottish Futures Trust (SFT), the SNP administration's new funding model for major public projects.

It is understood the Scottish Government wants to have pilot SFT projects identified by the autumn of next year and city leaders are pressing for their new schools to be top of this list.

Modernising five of the Capital's most rundown schools would cost up to 182 million but the council only has money for one. It plans to prioritise the rebuilding of Portobello High while phasing redevelopment of the other four schools.

Parent groups and opposition politicians today said any form of new money for the four schools would be welcomed.

David Manson, chairman of St John's parent council, said: "We would be delighted to see any kind of investment because at this rate it will be people's grandchildren and not their children who will benefit from the new schools."

The council has already set aside 33m to rebuild Portobello and will have to identify the remaining 8.5m in February's budget. It is estimated that work on the new school site in Portobello Park will begin in 2011-12.

Councillor Jeremy Balfour, the Tories' education spokesman, said: "We need to try anything possible and would be supportive of the council being involved in any trial of the Scottish Futures Trust model.

"That said, I am slightly sceptical that the SNP will be able to deliver this because they have not been able to provide any meaningful details on the idea to date.

"It is great news that the money has been found for Portobello but the four other schools are in dire need of investment."

The SFT, chaired by top merchant banker Sir Angus Grossart, is designed to attract funding for major public projects without any of the profit from the deals being transferred to the private sector.

The model was meant to be used for the new Forth crossing but this was abandoned and the SNP has been under pressure to reveal details on how it will be used for other projects.