SNP ‘stringing along’ local councils over school funding delays

The SNP is “stringing along” councils as anger mounts over delays to funding for new school campuses to replace rundown buildings.

Political rivals say the nationalists took their “eye off the ball” on education while families are left in limbo, just as Humza Yousaf marks prepares to mark his first 100 days in government leader.

The Scottish Government committed to meet half the costs for selected new schools across Scotland under the Learning Estate Investment Programme.

But decisions on which schools will benefit from the third phase of the major project have been delayed for months as council chiefs and parents grow frustrated.

Highland councillors lined up to demand answers on funding to replace five new schools in the region.

They branded the delays “appalling” and warned the uncertainty was “crippling” the council.

Locals fear they may receive a smaller pile of money than they had hoped for when government cash is finally dished out.

Alasdair Christie, a Lib Dem councillor, said: “Teachers and pupils are being massively let down due to the continued wait.

Mr Christie told us: “Teachers, pupils and communities are devastated that decisions that were anticipated last winter have not happened.

“We’ve got children being taught in buildings that are desperate for a replacement. It’s a travesty of justice. It’s this limbo situation that we’re in that’s unacceptable.”

The Lib Dem councillor reckons government education bosses are unwilling to admit they may struggle to provide funding due to budget pressures.

He said: “I suspect they’ve got severe funding challenges, but it’s about honesty and working in partnership.

“It’s stringing us along waiting for a decision. Children and teachers are going home for summer not knowing if the funding decisions are going to be made or not.”

Across Scotland there are similar frustrations from local councils desperate to know when a funding announcement will be made.

On Wednesday, Michael Marra raised concerns over whether a new Dundee primary school will be able to open in 2026 when scheduled.

SNP education secretary Jenny Gilruth insisted she will make an announcement on funding soon and recognises current uncertainty has created challenges.

She blamed current “financial pressures” the government is enduring for the delays.

Ms Gilruth added: “Our top priority needs to be to ensure that Scottish finances remain on a sustainable trajectory.

“These are big decisions and it’s important we get them right.”

Barry Black, an education expert who stood for Labour at the 2021 Holyrood election, claimed the government has a habit of overpromising on school projects.

He said: “If you can delay things a few years, you can make promises in another election cycle and never deliver the funding.

“The implementation gap between rhetoric and delivery on loads of these initiatives is huge.”

On why it’s important old schools are upgraded, he added: “It’s completely fundamental to the curriculum.

“You’ve got issues where teachers don’t have their own classrooms. A lot of schools don’t have staff rooms.

“How a school is built is fundamental to the experience of education.”

After receiving his response from Ms Gilruth, Mr Marra claimed the SNP had “lost the ability” to run the country effectively.

‘Consequences’

He said: “Their incompetence has real consequences.

“This level of ineptitude makes it impossible for the government to effectively deliver the services and infrastructure our community needs.

“When they take their eye off the ball to focus on their internal drama, delays like those we’ve seen in the LEIP become inevitable.”

Pete Shears, a Dundee Labour councillor, claimed the SNP treat local governments as an “annoying inconvenience”.

He added: “All while the SNP focus on getting good PR for a first minister with a legacy of failure and wasting taxpayers money on constitutional squabbles.

“Perhaps a special conference on local government funding and education would be a better use of time?”