Education backing won’t be diverted to fix the seminaries failure at Dargavel, Humza Yousaf has advised.
The First Minister was quizzed on how the Scottish Government would support Renfrewshire Council after it was revealed the new- figure Dargavel Primary School has only one third of the spaces demanded for original children.
But he advised every penny of education cash has formerly been allocated.
The Paisley Daily Express revealed last week how a alternate primary academy, with capacity for 800 children, and a massive extension to Park Mains High School are demanded to accommodate the families set to enthrall Dargavel Village’s planned 4,000 homes.
Council heads revealed the scale of the challenge after admitting a “ disastrous error ” with projected academy rolls meant a academy opened last time had space for only 500 youths.
The cost to fix it’s£ 75 million – cash that could have been recouped from inventors had the council’s design pupil figures been correct.
Speaking at Holyrood, West Scotland MSP Neil Bibby demanded answers from the First Minister on how his government would insure that the cost to resolve the capacity extremity would not be at a loss to other youths in the original authority area.
But Mr Yousaf made clear a parcel of cash would not be forthcoming.
He said “ What Neil Bibby is asking me to do is take plutocrat out of the current academy structure programme and of course redistribute that to another design.
“ Now, he’d have to say what academy we’d take that down from because, of course, every single penny is reckoned for in terms of the current budget.
“ So, yes, we will continue to have conversations with Renfrewshire Council, as we’ve done formerly, but I’ll ask the education clerk tore-touch base with Renfrewshire Council because eventually I agree with Neil Bibby’s premise that no child should feel that their education or their educational attainment suffers as a result of any decision that’s made, be that by public government or indeed by original government. ”
Mr Bibby, together with parents of Dargavel children, has constantly raised enterprises that Renfrewshire Council would need to circumscribe other essential services in order to raise the cash demanded for new shapes.
Speaking after the Holyrood debate, Mr Bibby said “ I’m pleased that the First Minister agrees with me that no child in Renfrewshire should lose out because of the council’s incapacity.
“ This failure is set to bring at least£ 75 million.
“ The council must now approach the Scottish Government and develop a plan with them to fix this mess as a matter of urgency and insure Renfrewshire taxpayers aren’t left to bottom this huge bill alone. ”
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