Anger over delay to flagship primary school

Parents of pupils at Lairdsland Primary School, in Kirkintilloch, last week received a letter from East Dunbartonshire Council’s education chief Gordon Currie explaining that there was going to be a delay to the completion of the new school near the town’s Southbank Marina.

An opening date of October 2014 had been pencilled in, but now it’s been pushed back to “summer 2015” - with the reasons listed including “delays to work packages” and “rerouting of utilities”.

One mum said: “The children have all been busy in their classes learning about the new school and have even got a countdown clock counting down to the opening.

“It’s really disappointing for them and I’m concerned about them having to stay in a building the council haven’t invested in for years - many of the windows are boarded up and the toilets are a disgrace.”

There are now worries that the school could be delayed even FURTHER.

Another parent said: “I attended a meeting earlier this year where Gordon Currie was in attendance and I stood up and asked him if he could guarantee that the new school would be built for October 2014 and he replied yes.

“I then responded back by saying I would believe it when I see it - and I was correct. It has now been delayed.”

The mum added: “Our current school is in desperate need for a new build.

“Unfortunately I have no confidence in the council and fully expect the date of summer 2015 to be delayed again. I just hope that no child is injured or hurt with the current state of the school falling apart.”

Council leader Rhondda Geekie said: “We are obviously disappointed to learn of a delay in the completion of this much anticipated new school.

“However, it is important that all works that need to be done in advance of building are carried out.

“The additional work requirements are essential to support the development of this new school and we are negotiating with our developer to try and bring forward the revised completion date.”

She added: “We have sought assurances from our development partners on how they will address the future project management of this new school to ensure that the revised project completion date is achieved.

“The developers have carried out a full review and the Lairdsland School project has been fully reprogrammed with new key milestones and dates agreed.”