Funding two new senior schools in Moray

Moray’s two worst secondary school buildings could be in line for replacement.

Councillors will be asked to consider applying for Scottish Government funding to rebuild Forres Academy.

There is also an option to seek money to replace Buckie High School as well.

Forres is in a worse state than Buckie – but not by much.

It has a D standard for its condition, which is the worst a school can be rated.

Buckie is deemed to be poor with a C mark.

But that assessment was done five years ago and there are fears it could have since fallen into the lowest category.

Both schools are below the minimum B requirement.

Councillors were expected to make a decision about applying to the learning estate improvement programme on Wednesday.

However, the meeting was cancelled following the death of the Queen. The matter will now be discussed on Wednesday, September 28.

Over the last eight years the council has spent almost £5 million trying to sort out problems at Forres – but it has continued to deteriorate.

One option to replace it is a new secondary school and community hub for £79.2 million, with Roysvale common good land the preferred choice of site.

Another option, costing £87.4 million, is for a community campus incorporating Applegrove Primary which would cater for pupils right from the age of three all the way up to 18.

A major refurbishment and extension is also up for consideration in Forres, but at a projected cost of £91.1 million it is unlikely to be the preferred choice.

There is no refurbishment option for Buckie.

Instead a new build secondary with community hub would cost £84.1 million.

Meanwhile a combined three to 18 campus would cost £95.7 million.

Both options would have to be constructed within the current school boundary in Buckie.

Any application must be submitted by the end of October.

A successful bid would see up to 50% of the costs met by the Scottish Government.

The remainder would have to footed by the local authority, even though it has to find budget savings of £20 million within the next two years.

There is an expectation any projects seeking funding should be completed by the end of 2027.

That is sooner than the 2028/29 time frame the council currently has for replacing the schools.

Andy Hall, the council's programme manager for the learning estate, said: "There are benefits of delivering both projects earlier then currently planned.

"The target date of the end of 2027 to deliver either project is challenging."

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