Moray school estate review revealed
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AN IDEA of what Moray’s school estate could look like in the future is expected to emerge over the next week.
A long list of options to create a "sustainable framework" for education in the area is being drawn up by advisers Caledonian Economics.
Reviews of the area’s leisure provision, waste management and harbours have also been commissioned by the cross-party Area Based Review Steering Group, established last year as Moray Council set out to slash £30 million from its budget.
Announcing the area’s 2014-15 financial plan on behalf of the cross-party group, council leader, Councillor Allan Wright, said: "These reviews will probably result in some significant changes in service delivery."
The council has 45 primary and eight secondary schools, which collectively carry an estimated repair bill of £70 million, with a further annual spend of £4 million to maintain that standard once achieved.
Launching the review in September, the council insisted that there was no ‘hit-list’ of schools earmarked for closure.
On Wednesday, group members are expected to be briefed on the review’s initial findings, before a long list of options is made public.
That will be followed by a further survey and community briefings in March, as well as a workshop with the area’s head teachers.
The final report outlining preferred options on the way ahead is expected to go before councillors in April.
Meanwhile, an initial list of options from the leisure review, which was launched in November, is expected to be made public by the end of the month.
That review is looking at the area’s swimming pools, sports halls, community centres, Moray Leisure Centre, the area’s synthetic and grass pitches, town halls, residential centres and fitness rooms.
