Primaries to blow whistle on hiring out sports halls

PRIMARY schools could stop hiring out gym halls and facilities to community groups after hours under new plans being considered by education chiefs.

A massive review into improving community use of schools is currently under way, with the aim of saving money while also providing better access to secondaries.

One of the options being discussed by education bosses to achieve this is to limit the availability of primary and special schools in the evenings to just parent council and school use, and moving community groups into secondaries instead.

They say the move would "make better use of the council's best existing school facilities" and would save money by only having certain school buildings open in the evenings.

Parent councils are expected to react angrily to the proposal as many community groups rely on using their local primary schools for activities.

There was outrage amongst parent councils and groups last year when the council ruled it would shut primaries on Thursday nights to save 300,000.

Gavin Corbett, chair of the parent council at Craiglockhart Primary, said: "My initial reaction would be one of horror.

"The idea that we have a much cherished primary school that's within walking distance for lots of children to enjoy out-of-school activities like brownies or sports and they have to pass that to walk at least a mile to a secondary school that they are not familiar with beggars belief.

"There is a strong belief that the council should be increasing the use of primary schools, not closing them.

"I think this proposal is naive and utterly misguided."

A council report written by education director Gillian Tee and Jim Inch, director of corporate services, to be discussed by members of the education committee next week, says there are "potential efficiency savings to be achieved through transferring and relocating primary school lets into secondary schools where capacity exists".

The review which this proposal is part of is designed to introduce a set fee for lets throughout all of Edinburgh's 23 high schools in order to eradicate discrepancies in rates charged from school to school.It also aims to ensure that all secondary schools will be open for public use during the week, at weekends and during holidays, where there is demand from the local community.

At the moment, the council is examining two models for running school facilities.

One is to keep the management of sporting and leisure facilities "in-house" so they would continue to be run by individual schools.

The second option would see out-of-hours access being managed by Edinburgh Leisure.

Council bosses say both models would provide an opportunity to create "sports hubs" across the city in partnership with Sportscotland.

Education leader Marilyne MacLaren said: "These discussions are all about opening up our excellent sporting facilities in schools and making them accessible to all ages and groups.

"We are keen to benefit from any increased interest generated by the Olympics and Commonwealth Games.

"I believe strongly that our secondary schools, in particular, need to be fully utilised in the evenings and at weekends in order to provide maximum value and enjoyment for Edinburgh's citizens."