Angus Council last night approved revised plans that will set the wheels in motion for the £24 million revamp of Brechin High School.
Neil Logue, the local authority’s director of education, previously hit out at the Scottish Government for insisting that it set up a not for profit distributing (NPD) model to finance the new community campus.This model, which replaces the public-private partnership, will be funded by private finance and public funding. Around half will come from the Scottish Government.
Any excess funds made will be reinvested in the community, as opposed to being allocated to shareholders.
Mr Logue claimed in a report before the education committee yesterday that the changes were “far from satisfactory” as they could be construed as being ambiguous to key stakeholders.
However, the move was welcomed by Councillor Sheena Welsh, who is the education spokesperson for the council’s SNP opposition group.
She said, “I have received assurances from the education secretary that plans to develop a new Brechin High School remain in place.
“As the Scottish Government has no power to borrow money for capital investment and is restricted to the financial allocation handed out by Westminster, the NPD model, by involving private companies, has overcome this hurdle.
“While much of the detail resulting from these changes has still to be finalised, I very much welcome the Scottish Government’s continued commitment to Angus and to Brechin.”
Education convener Peter Nield said the department was working hard and would do whatever it took to meet the demands of the project.
He said, “We will deal with the changes in funding and make sure the project goes ahead our commitment to the community will ensure this.”
Council leader Bob Myles, who represents the Brechin and Edzell ward on the council, welcomed the development, but questioned the innovation of the funding method.
He said, “I have no problems with the mechanism of delivery but this just seems like PPP with a different name.”