SportScotland 'not happy' at schools facilities...

From today's 'Herald' newspaper

SportScotland have expressed concerns over the sports facilities East Dunbarton Council have proposed in their PPP schools project.

Particular reference is made to the sale of 'surplus' land when this could be used for sport facilities (see earlier posts).

This is exactly what is happening on the Thomas Muir site were they are now being asked to share sports facilities with TWO neighbouring primary schools.

Read the article for yourself here in the Herald

Better = Smaller?

It would appear that the solution, on better 'educational' grounds, that the developers used to persuade the council that they could built a 'better' school at Thomas Muir involved the advantage of the Thomas Muir site being larger than the High school site.

They're building a school to accomodate more pupils than the exisiting Thomas Muir school on that site.
The school they are building is actually TWO schools combined. it will accommodate 1,200 pupils plus staff In school roll terms this will make it the largest school ever in Bishopbriggs

But...

The developers are going to build it on a smaller plot of land than the existing school occupies!

Bigger school on a smaller plot of land = land to sell for other development = profit


I wonder if the interim school board will still say they agreed to this now that they know the actual facts?

Bishopbriggs High site

What do the council, and developers, have planned for the 'prime' town centre Bishopbriggs High site?

Will you have a say?

Will the council listen?

Will the £1.2million games hall survive or be demolished?

Will the existing empty shops be filled before more are built?

Who will benefit from their decision?

John Morrison (council leader) has already confirmed that they have started planning the redevelopment and various ideas are in the pipeline.

They include:

Commercial premises
Public space
Retail development
Housing opportunities
Community facilities (sports hall?)
Parking

Any retail or commercial development would have to include public space and parking. Housing opportunities doesn't sound that promising to me.
Community facilities, retention of the Sports Hall? The council would only say "it is being considered".

They say their are "opportunities" to work closely with

Local people
Traders
Community groups
and their
Partners (the Developers?)

Another 'consultation' process... we all know what that could mean.

Minutes of the council meeting in July...

Still not on the web site, I requested them from the legal department..

They have been emailed to me and I note the following.

I cannot find any reference to the 'educational advantages' of the Thomas Muir site anywhere in the document.

The presentation by the three external advisors considered the following...

"key requirements of the process; legal evaluation; financial evaluation; and design and technical overview"

... no mention of educational advantages.

The recommendations to the council for approval considered the following...

To approve that Bidder 1 should be selected as the preferred bidder for the PPP Project (subject to the Scottish Executive’s KSR 2 approval) on the basis of their bid for the design, construction, maintenance and operation of the six schools in the Project with the exception of the cleaning service in the schools

... no mention of educational advantages.

At the beginning of the meeting councillor Hannah requested that the Provost refrain from using her casting vote, the Provost declined the request.

Councillor Hannah asked that the section regarding the building of Bishopbriggs Academy on the Thomas Muir site, recommended by Bidder 1 should be change to read on the Bishopbriggs High site.

On a split vote 12 to 12 the provost used her casting vote to reject his amendment.

The councillors that voted for the amendments (including building on Bishopbriggs High site, as voted for by the public and Jo Swinson) were...

Councillors FOR the amendment

1 Alan Brown - Cadder and Langbrae - Conservative
2 John Dempsey - Campsie - Labour
3 Rhondda Geekie - Kirkintilloch Central - Labour
4 Alex Hannah - Woodhill East - Labour
5 Billy Hendry - Balmuildy and Park - Conservative
6 Anne Jarvis - South Lenzie - Conservative
7 Charles Kennedy - Milton - Independent Alliance
8 Edward McGaughrin - Hillhead and Broomhill - Labour
9 Alan Moir - East Harestanes and Twechar - Labour
10Michael O’Donnell - Auchinairn and Woodhill - Labour
11Tom Smith - Woodhill West - Labour
12 Jack Young - Rosebank and Waterside - Independent Alliance

Councillors AGAINST the amendment

1 Fiona Callison - Chapelton - Liberal Democrat
2 Duncan Cumming - Barloch - Liberal Democrat
3 Robert Duncan - Castlehill and Thorn - Liberal Democrat
4 Eric Gotts - Clober - Liberal Democrat
5 Gordon Macdonald - Lenzie - Liberal Democrat
6 Cathy McInnes - West Kirkintilloch and Torrance - Liberal Democrat
7 Margaret McNaughton - Kenmure and Baldernock - Liberal Democrat
8 Vaughan Moody - Westerton - Liberal Democrat
9 John Morrison - Kessington - Liberal Democrat
10 Fiona Risk - Keystone - Liberal Democrat
11 Julia Southcott - Bearsden - Liberal Democrat

Casting and deciding vote...

12 Provost Patricia Steel - Baljaffery and Mosshead - Liberal Democrat

ALL the Liberal Democrats voted AGAINST the amendment and used their casting vote to push through the decision.

The wording in the minute contains an observation about her previous employment in education - I find this strange within the minute of a meeting, it can only have been include for one reason...

"The Provost, having listened to the debate and using her 32 years teaching experience used her casting vote in favour of the motion, which was accordingly declared to be carried.

After 32 years teaching you would think that she would had learned something - it was the people that voted her party into office.
They were asked their decision on the location of the school and then ignored - the people cannot, and will not, be ignored next election.

Hopefully soon you can read the minutes online - please read them.

Costs rise - date slips...

The building hasn't started yet!

£100million becomes £125million

Completion date now mid- 2009

Amec appointed preferred bidder for £125m East Dunbartonshire PPP schools project

The Amec-led InspirED consortium has been appointed preferred bidder by East Dunbartonshire Council for its £125m PPP schools project, as tipped by Contract Journal (9 August).

The consortium, which also includes John Laing and Innisfree, will deliver six new secondary schools and provide estate management services for 30 years.

Financial close is targeted for December 2006, with construction work beginning immediately afterwards. Completion is expected in mid-2009.

More from Contract Journal.

Now over a thousand regular visitors...

Thanks, figures show that this sites has over 1,000 regular visitors per week - and growing!

It's fantastic that so many are interested in why the council went against public opinion and voted to build the new school on the Thomas Muir site.

In just over a month this site has attracted over 10,000 visitors!

Thank you all for your support...

Keep visiting for the latest on the Bishopbriggs High story - gone but not forgotten...

Letters in the Evening Times

Here are the letters published by the Evening Times after the 'link hands' demonstration.

See other posts...