Buckie High funding appeal row erupts with demands for ‘collaboration not competition’
A row has erupted over an all-party appeal for financial assistance to rebuild a secondary school in poor condition.
Two senior Conservatives have raised questions over local SNP politicians failing to support an all-party appeal to the Scottish Government for financial assistance for a new Buckie Community High School (BCHS).
However, the SNP group on Moray Council has hit back saying the letter has been hijacked and weaponised so it is now an attack on the Scottish Government rather than a non-partisan plea for assistance.
Buckie-based Highlands and Islands MSP Tim Eagle, and Councillor James Adams, said the failure of the Moray Council SNP group to sign a letter to the Cabinet Secretary for Education, Jenny Gilruth MSP risked showing they were putting party loyalty ahead of the needs of local people.
The letter, which has been signed by the leaders of the Conservative and Labour group leaders of Moray Council, was also due to be signed by the SNP co-leader on Moray Council, Councillor Sonya Warren, a Buckie councillor, who had actually requested that the letter be written, and agreed to support it, but then failed to sign.
Councillor Adams, who will be standing for the Banffshire and Buchan Coast constituency, which includes Buckie, in next year's Holyrood elections, said: "This is a worrying turn of events by SNP councillors.
“The community are well aware of the importance to the people of Buckie of the high school and its future, but no discussion is possible without financial support from the Scottish Government, like all school projects in Scotland.
"I can only think that after asking for the letter the local SNP have been given their marching orders by their bosses at Holyrood and had to withdraw support.”
Mr Eagle, a former Buckie councillor, said: "With children in the school myself I recognise the importance of the discussion in Buckie around a new build but this is an amazing turn-round by the SNP group.
“One minute they are agreeing to an all-party approach, and the next minute they withdraw support. That sends the wrong signals to the Scottish Government about Moray’s overall commitment to the works.
“As an ex-councillor for the area I welcome any and all discussions that will lead to improvements or a new build to our high school.”
However, the SNP said the refusal by the Tory and Labour groups on the council to make “small changes” to the wording of the letter so that it was couched in “more constructive” and co-operative terms meant that they were unable, in good faith, to sign it.
Reaffirming the group’s commitment to delivering a new BCHS, Councillor Warren said: “The group continues to fully back investment in a new school for Buckie but could not sign a recent letter from the council leader and Labour group leader because it failed to reflect a truly collaborative, cross-party approach.
“The SNP group has always supported the replacement of Buckie High School, that’s never been in doubt.
“We were the ones who initially asked for a letter to the government, but when we requested small changes to make the language more constructive and to recognise the strong partnership that already exists between Moray Council and the Scottish Government, those changes were refused.
“Once that happened, the letter no longer reflected a united council position or the positive working relationship we’re trying to build.
“It’s disappointing to see the Conservative Party trying to turn this into a political point-scoring exercise instead of focusing on what really matters, the future of Buckie High School and the young people it serves.
“Our priority remains clear: securing funding and delivering a modern, fit-for-purpose school for Buckie, not getting drawn into party politics.
SNP group co-leader Councillor Scott Lawrence (Forres) added: “Everyone in Moray agrees Buckie High School needs urgent investment.
“What matters now is that we present the strongest possible case to the Scottish Government, one that shows consensus, not division.
“We’ll keep working with officers and all groups to bring forward a refreshed, evidence-based proposal for LEIP Phase 4 that delivers for Buckie.
“The SNP group emphasised that while the recent letter was signed by Conservative and Labour group leaders, the Green Party group leader was not invited to sign and SNP requests for inclusive wording were rejected, meaning the correspondence could not genuinely be described as an all-party submission.
“Buckie Community High School deserves collaboration, not competition.
“We’re ready to work with everyone who shares that goal.
It was decided at an education, children’s and leisure services committee meeting in May that a decision of refurbishment work for BCHS would have to wait pending clarity on the future of the Elgin High School Capacity Expansion project.
During the same meeting it was agreed to write to the Scottish Government on a cross-party basis to make more cash available for a new school.
It had initially been hoped that the school would qualify for funding from the Scottish Government's Learning Estate Investment Programme (LEIP) Phase 3 project, which would have seen a much-needed new school built. However, Forres Academy ended up getting the nod from Moray Council for the cash.
A further blow was to be dealt in February when councillors were told that due to the “significant reduction of capital” - to the tune of £32.32 million - available to the local authority it was now the case that the “existing refurbishment options are not affordable”.
On a scale of A-D, Buckie Community High School (BCHS) is currently languishing in the C category for condition - meaning the buildings need investment - and B in suitability. The minimum requirement for both is B.