The Arbroath schools merger row has taken a new twist, with alleged heating problems coming under the spotlight.
Muirfield Action Group has called for Angus Council to provide an explanation as to why the heating system at Muirfield Primary School was suddenly assessed as requiring replacement, despite it seeming to work perfectly.
Spokesman for the group Ewan Smith believes the local authority purposely downgraded the rating for the system to push through plans for the school to be knocked down and be replaced by a larger school on the town’s Westway.
However the council has moved to quash his theory, claiming his assertions were “without foundation” and that he was “totally mistaken”.
Muirfield and Timmergreens Primary School will be closed and merged if the Scottish Government gives the go-ahead for plans to build the new site at Hospitalfield.
Prior to the proposals to shut the schools, Muirfield’s suitability rating was reduced, with the lifespan of the heating system playing a part in that decision. Mr Smith said that over the four years his children had been in the Muirfield school system he was aware of no day when there was a problem with the heating.
He said: “We have never truly understood why Muirfield went from being rated as one of the better schools in 2008 to the worst school in Arbroath 12 months later. We still don’t understand.
“We were then told a big problem was the heating, which a lot of parents are baffled about, including me. I’m no expert but I would imagine if the heating was had ‘reached the end of its economical lifespan’ then there would be days during the winter where my son or daughter experience problems or heating engineers are called in.”
Mr Smith added that he would be “fascinated” to see some hard evidence detailing how poor the heating is.
The campaigner has sent numerous freedom of information (FOI) requests to the council in bid to glean information, but he claims these have often come back missing vital pages.
“We first asked Angus Council for this in April,” said Mr Smith. “If Muirfield truly is the worst conditioned school in Arbroath let’s see the evidence.”
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The merger proposal for the schools has had a troubled history, with insufficient consultation and a failure to address road safety leading Holyrood ministers to call in the first application. That decision was preceded by the discovery that several of the online consultation responses voting in favour of the new school had come from the same computer address.
Mr Smith said that if the heating had been downgraded purely on age and not on its physical workings then it was “completely unacceptable”.
“As I understand it there were moves to replace the system at Muirfield four years ago”, he said. “Reports were compiled, surveys done and a new ‘eco-heating’ system was going to be installed at a cost of less than £30,000. At the last moment this system was fitted at Muirfield’s identical sister school, Ladyloan.
“You have to question if back in 2007 the plan was already in place to knock down Muirfield hence the rationale behind not ‘throwing good money after bad’ to quote a well-used Angus Council phrase.”
A spokeswoman for Angus Council confirmed the condition rating for its schools uses “comprehensive” Scottish Government guidance and is fully transparent.
She said: “When completed, the School Estate Management Plan is shared with the head teacher and the parent council. Detailed information regarding school buildings has been shared with Mr Smith on a number of occasions.
“Council officers have also offered Mr Smith the opportunity to meet with them to explain the school estate management process in more detail, and allow him to seek any further information he might wish. Mr Smith has not responded to this offer.
“The heating challenges at this school are similar to those found in a number of schools constructed in the same era. The school relies on electric underfloor heating which is difficult to control to maintain a comfortable environment.
“Whenever difficulties are experienced with the operation of these systems, everything possible is done to minimise the impact and to ensure that pupils are not adversely affected.”
The spokeswoman added: “We have replaced this type of system in a number of schools including Ladyloan, Grange, Carlogie and Lochside. Installation takes account of the priority needs of schools and available resources.
“We recognise the need to address competing priorities fairly and equitably and we work hard to do precisely that.
“Mr Smith is completely mistaken about the costs of providing a new heating system. The cost of upgrading the heating and associated works at Ladyloan was £587,000 and the assertions he has made about the approach adopted are without foundation.”