Can Highland Council deliver £2bn investment in roads and schools?
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The main questions over the programme are how it will be funded and when any of the facilities will be operational – though not all will be totally new, some will be refurbished.
The first tranche of schools are those with which are considered shovel ready, including: Beauly Primary; Charleston Academy; Dunvegan Primary; Fortrose Academy and Inverness High. The total cost range is £155 million to £195 million.
The way the council plans to raise the money for the plan is through ring-fencing about two per cent of council tax annually and using that to borrow within strict limits – about 9-10 per cent of revenue budget.
Lib Dem Leader Alasdair Christie is worried about the plan: “The paper on the Highland Investment Plan is like everything from this SNP led Administration – lacking in depth and detail.
“From a financial point of view it is not demonstrating how the massive loans taken out will ever be repaid. From an educational stance It gives no certainty to the many teachers, parents and children as to when the improvements or new school will be finished.
“I am particularly concerned about St Clements School which educates the most vulnerable children in our communities, nowhere in the report and plan does it state when the new school will be open for children.”
“This lack of transparency in approach is an insult to all and the Administration should immediately set this right by saying when the new St Clements school will be opening.”
Can Highland Council actually deliver £2bn promised investment in roads a?
Opposition leader Alasdair Christie has questions and wonders ‘when the new school will be open for children.’
