War of words breaks out between councillors over the funding to complete the Culloden Academy extension amid allegations that some members 'politicised' the process
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Councillors are due to vote on whether it can allocate up to £9 million additional funding for expansion work at Culloden Academy.
If agreed it looks like the cash – more than doubling the previously agreed sum for the project – will come from a mix of Scottish Government funds and borrowing.
But a war of words has broken out between councillors in the school’s catchment area amid claims of broken promises and accusations of “politicising” the process.
As the Courier previously reported Liberal Democrat councillors Trish Robertson and Carolyn Caddick led the way in announcing they had identified a source of additional funding.
SNP members Glynis Campbell-Sinclair and Ken Gowans, however, have now hit out saying the Lib Dems had backed out of supporting a cross-party motion that would have presented a united front on the issue at this Thursday’s full council meeting.
Inverness South member Cllr Gowans said: “All the local councillors agreed to sign a motion for this week’s full council to ensure the failing school project was adequately funded.
"Despite giving their personal assurances at the last stakeholders meeting, the two Lib Dem councillors refused to sign the motion, but were secretly scheming to undermine their fellow councillors, parents and carers.
“Bizarrely, the failed Culloden Academy extension project was discussed at length at the recent housing and property committee, yet not one of the officers gave any hint of additional funds being made available. It is inconceivable that senior officers and administration leaders would not have known that a £9 million proposal to rescue the project was already in the council’s papers.”
Cllr Campbell-Sinclair said: “I am disappointed and angry that Lib Dem Ward colleagues have politicised the current situation at Culloden Academy.
“As members of the current administration of Highland Council, they have been aware that the Culloden Academy extension project was facing a shortfall in available funds, and remained tight lipped for months, and at one point blaming the chief executive, Donna Manson.”
Conservative group leader, Cllr Andrew Jarvie, said: “For months, parents and councillors on the stakeholder group had been led down the garden path that the new extension was imminent.
“But the signs of backtracking were there.
“What makes no sense at all is that, despite many of us challenging officers and there being no answer on progress from them, suddenly, a week later, I find £9 million has been suddenly found.”
Cllr Caddick rebuffed the allegation that the process was politicised, saying it was the other way around.
“We did agree to work on a joint ward cross party motion," she said. "But when the draft came in from Cllr Gowans, it was inaccurate and unnecessarily harsh and had been signed by four SNP councillors – two from outside the wards – so I felt it came across as unnecessarily critical of the council and very political.
"Cllr Robertson did suggest a shorter version, but unfortunately Cllr Gowans and his colleagues were not prepared to compromise on the wording, so although I was extremely supportive of the principle, I felt I was left with no choice but not to sign.
"Meanwhile, as members of the administration, both Trish and I continued to work with officers to maximise the pressure built-up by the parents, to get the extension fully funded.
"In the end, all the local councillors, the school and the parents want, is for the pupils to have an environment that is fit for purpose, that inspires them to learn.
"Some additional one-off Scottish Government funding and the potential to borrow the balance, means that it is now potentially possible for this project to go ahead as originally planned.
"The delays still mean that 12 additional demountable units are required in the short term, but at least we now have the traction we need to complete the whole project and not have to do this in tranches, as was suggested by officers earlier this year.
"Personally I am delighted that we can move ahead and I am particularly thankful to the parents who pushed so hard and the all the Ward councillors who put pressure on the council to get the whole extension underway."
Related stories –
Highland councillors asked to agree to £9m for school expansion work in Culloden
