St Andrews University 'lost focus' over new Madras College, claims Fife Council
A war of words has erupted between Fife Council and St Andrews University after the collapse of £40 million plans for a new Fife school.
The Madras College campus in South Street.
Years of planning ended in failure this week when the long-cherished dream to build a school, sharing facilities with the university, was shelved.
Senior councillors have laid the blame squarely at the feet of university chiefs, insisting that they had "lost focus".
However, officials at the university have quickly hit back.
A spokesman said, "St Andrews has worked hard to become one of the leading universities in the world.
"We have not achieved this by losing focus."
University chiefs insisted they had called time on the proposals because there was "no end in sight" to protracted negotiations.
Any dream of future collaboration between the authority and the university were in jeopardy last night as serious allegations regarding the failure of the project began to fly.
Depute council leader Elizabeth Riches blasted "the way the university attempts to conduct business" while Tay Bridgehead councillor Maggie Taylor accused university chiefs of "wanting everything on their terms."
Meanwhile, The Courier can reveal that the shelving of the preferred option has come at a considerable cost, with £140,000 spent on design consultancy fees alone since last April.
'Severe financial circumstances'
Mrs Riches did not hold back in her criticism of university officials.
"It appears that the university has lost its focus... and this has made it almost impossible for Fife Council to engage meaningfully," she told The Courier.
"Time and again the university changed its mind as to which piece of land it might consider suitable for the new Madras school.
"Fife Council is disappointed that the necessary land was not available for a mutually agreed price."
North East Fife MP Sir Menzies Campbell said: "If the university and council had been able to reach agreement on this ambitious project it would have been of great benefit to the community.
"I have no doubt that they both have strived to find a way forward but it is worthy of note that the university and the council face very severe financial circumstances which I am sure played a significant part in their negotiations.
"There should now be no delay in proceeding with the Kilrymont option."
Mrs Riches said the council had bent over backwards to accommodate the university's demands.
She said: "Each time the university changed its mind on the area of land available, Fife Council chief officers had to patiently and painstakingly work out if it would be possible to build a school on the suggested site.
"I have been dismayed and disappointed by the manner in which the university attempts to conduct business."
However Mrs Riches said there was still a bright future for secondary education in St Andrews.
'Very disappointed'
She said: "Even though the university is withdrawing from this project, Fife Council will still be able to build its best school yet at Kilrymont.
"I am determined and confident that this will be done as soon as possible.
"We have promised a new school and we will deliver a new school."
Ms Taylor was similarly critical of the university.
She said: "I am very disappointed... a great and unique opportunity has been lost.
"Lots of hard work has gone into the negotiations but it always seemed to me as if the university kept moving the goalposts and they wanted everything on their terms."
Ms Taylor pledged to push for the Kilrymont option to be taken forward "as fast as possible."
She also rubbished any suggestion that the death of the latest plan could lead to fresh calls for a new school in the Tay Bridgehead area.
She said: "Demographics show that pupil numbers are falling fast and we would shortly end up with two half-empty schools.
"There is also the question of parental choice and with both Madras and Bell Baxter (in Cupar) having recently received glowing reports on their teaching, it would be extremely difficult for a new school to establish a reputation and hold on to pupils."
She added: "Those that propose two schools might also inform us how they will get the finance to do so.
"Those advocating a new Tay Bridgehead school might also tell us exactly where this would be located as wherever that might be would involve land purchase and all the problems that involves."
10.08am - 31.08.2011 Billy - Dundee, Scotland UK Report This
Fife Council's audacity is simply breathtaking.
10.31am - 31.08.2011 Eoin Ryan - Glenrothes, Scotland Report This
The Uni might consider a £5mill differences in land values a trifle, but unlike the Uni, the council, actually has a real & legal responsibility for the public's cash. I don't know what the Uni is up to, does anybody? All spin. Mind you the Labour woman is a real laugh, what did she achieve?
01.07pm - 31.08.2011 John - St Andrews, Scotland Report This
St Andrews is the best university in Scotland--a world leader. Fife Council are a bunch of backwater political hacks who express urgency for nothing, unless they're personally under fire. $5M might not be a trifle, but Fife Council sitting of their hands for nearly half a decade is a joke.
01.20pm - 31.08.2011 James - St Andrews, UK Report This
This whole thing is really sad. The opportunity to study at St Andrews is a dream for so many, both young and old, and the real losers are our children. I say we should start a campaign to vote these amateurs in Fife Council out of office. The first to go should be Elizabeth Riches.
03.31pm - 31.08.2011 John Jones - Cupar, Scotland Report This
Eoin: "unlike the Uni, the council, actually has a real & legal responsibility for the public's cash". Wrong. All universities' memoranda of understanding with the Govt make the VC/Principal financially accountable for public monies. No councillor, sadly, faces the same burden.
03.33pm - 31.08.2011 Barry, born and bred St A(pre gentrification) - Kincraig, Highlands, UK Report This
Lets face it most Madras kids will get to the university- as cleaners,cooks and all the other service jobs needed to run this elite school for the globally rich and powerful. How many true St Andreans can afford to live there these days? Very few the town is ruined by golf, the uni and the money.
09.02pm - 31.08.2011 John - St Andrews, Scotland Report This
The whole point of the new Madras was to bring pupils into the university setting. These "true St Andreans" you mention were meant to interact with students/faculty and hopefully be inspired to attend. This could've been a model for others in Scotland, if it wasn't for poor government planning.
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