£6m school revamps in limbo

The refurbishments, extensions and upgrades for the Edinburgh schools would all be "deferred" for an unspecified time under the proposals being considered.

The move has been described as a "kick in the teeth" by parents demanding timescales on how long the developments would be delayed.

The proposals would see projects at schools including Granton, Duddingston and Dean Park primary schools, Wester Hailes Education Centre and North West Edinburgh Early Years Centre put off while feasibility studies are carried out as "circumstance have changed" since the developments were originally approved.

The proposals come as a major blow to St John's Primary and St Crispin's Special School in particular, as both are already awaiting complete refurbishment under the council's "wave three" programme.

They have been left in limbo after being told there is no money for the 130m scheme – which would see five city schools refurbished or rebuilt – and are now facing delays on these intermediate projects.

David Manson, chairman of the parent council at St John's, says the "most optimistic estimate" for the school's refurbishment will be at least four and a half years.

He added: "This proposal is a real kick in the teeth.

"The building is already in a very poor state and they are asking the children to do without something that the council at one point thought was essential."

The city's Labour education spokesman, Councillor Andrew Burns, said he did not accept that feasibility studies are needed.

He said: "Nearly 7m worth of capital projects for education are being deferred with no information on how long or why they are being deferred.

"I think it's completely unacceptable.

"These projects don't arrive in the capital programme by chance. They arrive because there is a need and because there has been a local campaign to try to get something done about their local facilities.

"Communities will be devastated by the proposals, and so they should be because it's wholly unacceptable.

"Saying 'circumstances have changed' since they were first approved is a pretty lame excuse because that happens with infrastructure.

"Not only will the problems not go away, they will get worse."

He added: "It's a catalogue of bad decision-making because we don't know what's going to happen with wave three. Given that we don't know, it makes sense to get this work done immediately. We can't just stop these projects in the hope that the Scottish Government will ride over the hill with a big cheque."

Green Party education spokeswoman Cllr Alison Johnstone told the Evening News: "I have grave concerns that essential works are being put off.

"I can't see any good reason for deferring upgrades and improvements.If they were needed years ago, why are they suddenly not needed now?

"We certainly wouldn't want to see indefinite deferrals and they should come up with a timescale for when they expect this work to go forward so the parents and pupils know what's going on."

A council spokesman said that he could not comment on the proposals, but the administration will announce its budget on Thursday.

THE PROJECTS

Granton Primary School

1m refurbishment deferred.

Duddingston Primary School

350,000 new dining area deferred.

St John's Primary School

360,000 extension deferred.

St Margaret's Primary School

250,000 new classroom not required.

Dean Park Primary School

1m extension deferred.

Towerbank Primary School

340,000 reduction in scope of new extension.

Wester Hailes Education Centre

350,000 for science facility upgrades deferred.

North West Edinburgh Early Years Centre

1m project to expand provision deferred.

Royal Mile Nursery

650,000 development work deferred.

St Crispin's Special School

250,000 project deferred.

Royston Wardieburn Community Centre/Early Years Centre

360,000 reduction in scope of the integrated education centre.

Greendykes Young Persons Centre

500,000 rebuild deferred until 2012.

General accommodation development

263,000.