With plans to build a new school campus on Mull progressing, the Council will meet in February 2025 to consider options and make a final decision on a preferred site. The cost of building the campus is 51³Ô¹ÏÃâ·ÑApp and Bute Council’s single biggest investment estimated at £43 million.
Following a ‘call for sites’ appeal, a list has been narrowed down to those that are potentially viable, which include sites in Tobermory and central locations on Mull. Following a unanimous view from the community of Iona, the Council is honouring their wishes to remove them from the scope of the process, and to continue current arrangements which includes families accessing Oban High school.
A detailed technical assessment of the shortlisted sites is underway by Council officers and experts to look at technical suitability. The assessments take into account a number of factors such as cost, risk, transport impact and feedback from the community engagement exercise. Assessment is ongoing and the shortlist will be available to the public in February 2025.
In response to community feedback and to comply with statutory obligations, more detailed impact assessments on equality, island, economic, children’s rights and wellbeing and Fairer Scotland Duty are also underway. They expect to conclude in January to allow a recommendation report to be finalised for consideration at full council scheduled for February.
During the engagement process, the concept of a split site had been raised by some in the community, seeking a new high school to be built in a central island location plus a separate primary school and nursery in Tobermory. In response to this feedback, the report today includes additional indicative costs of a split site solution. The Scottish Government LEIP funding is based on a ‘like for like’ basis. There is no additional funding for duplicate facilities such as dining or gym halls and sports facilities. The Council would be required to fund 100% of those additional spaces. Building two separate sites would increase costs in the region of £11 – 12.5 million capital and between £600,000 and £1 million revenue per annum. Without external funding and in the current budget climate, this would present a much greater financial challenge to the Council.
Aside from the estimated costs, a 2-18 campus model will deliver significant educational benefits compared to separate facilities. This includes offering children and young people a consistent approach for the entire length of a young person’s education, access to specialist teaching for primary age children and sharing of resources and facilities.
Councillors today, agreed in respect of educational benefits and additional costs, a split site Mull Campus would not be affordable and agreed that the process will continue on a single-site basis for delivery of a new Mull Campus.
Councillor Audrey Forrest, Policy Lead for Education:
“I want to thank residents and communities who have taken the time to share and contribute their views. We are pleased to be progressing to the next stage of selecting a site for a new 2-18 campus on Mull.
This is a significant investment for the Council when we are facing huge budget challenges to protect vital services over the next five years. We have to be realistic about what is achievable with the available funding.
Whilst we recognise the request for a split campus, the joint campus model delivers the best option financially, and more importantly, offers our young people a high quality education service.
We remain absolutely committed to building a new joint campus on Mull based on Scottish Government LEIP funding conditions and look forward to considering site options in the New Year.â€
Community feedback has been key in considering potential sites for a new school campus on Mull following a community engagement exercise. Key themes of the feedback were location, travel, ease of access, family unity, equity, access to facilities, community stability and curriculum range.
View the Community Engagement Report on the Council website /sites/default/files/2024-11/Mull%20Engagement%20Analysis.pdf
You can find more information about the project on the council website.