The people of Monifieth have taken part in a consultation on the future of Monifieth High School, its cluster primaries and leisure provision in the area.
They attended workshops and took part in an online survey as part of Angus Council’s long term vision for its learning estate.
Members of Angus Council’s children and learning committee received a progress report on a range of engagement activities carried out during September and October with council staff, young people, parents and carers and community groups.
This took the form of a mixture of workshops, briefings and sharing information online and on social media.
Workshops were held with 23 young members of the Monifieth Learning Council and nine children representatives from Newtyle, Strathmartine and Tealing Primary Schools.
This allowed schools outside the Monifieth cluster, but who may be affected, to have their say.
Emails were sent to 69 community groups in the Monifieth and Sidlaw area with meetings held with four of them.
An online survey saw 684 responses completed.
Eight options have been drawn up in the latest phase of the ambitious 30-year Angus Schools for the Future programme which aims to tackle issues of unsuitable buildings and over or under-capacity facilities.
The extension or replacement of Monifeith High School, which is currently over-capacity and has a low buildings rating, is central to a number of the proposals.
The concept of a partnership project with Perth and Kinross and Dundee City Councils to deliver a joint community campus is one of the ideas on the table.
Other options include review secondary catchment areas; extend Monifieth High School, Mattocks Primary School and refurbish Grange and Liff Primary Schools,; replace Monifieth High and Grange Primary School; replace Monifieth High and Grange Primary School with a school with additional community leisure facilities; a combination of refurbishing and increasing the capacity at Mattocks and Liff primary schools and developing a school to accommodate Monifieth High and Grange Primary School or develop Monifieth High School to include community leisure facilities, but without a primary element.
Commenting on the report, Angus Councillor Ben Lawrie, Liberal Democrat member for Monifieth and Sidlaw, said any combination of the eight options would have “huge implications” for his ward.
He said: “For families living here, and for the staff who work here, it is crucial that an ongoing conversation is held.”
Committee convener councillor Derek Wann, Conservative councillor for Arbroath East and Lunan, stated there had been an “excellent engagement” and that the results of the report would be published on the Angus Council schools for the future website.
He said: “I think that, with 684 online respondents in combination with the direct consultation that there’s been with young people, a very good start has been made in opening this dialogue.
“I thank and commend all those who took the time and effort to make their views heard and I am looking forward to reading a more detailed account of exactly what they have told us when it is available.”
