Moray MSP welcomes vote for new Forres Academy
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Moray’s MSP has welcomed the decision by councillors to make Forres Academy its priority for a new school campus.
Members voted by 11-4 to prioritise the academy in the council's bid for funding from the Scottish Government’s Learning Estate Investment Programme (LEIP).
The condition of the school building has been assessed as 'D', the worst possible rating.
It was one of only two schools in Scotland with this rating, despite investment of over £5million from the council in recent years on repairs and maintenance.
Richard Lochhead said: "While it is great news that across Scotland, we now have a record number of schools in good or satisfactory condition, it is clear that Forres Academy is due a new school campus.
"We’ve seen fantastic news schools built in Elgin and Lossiemouth thanks to the Scottish Government and folk in Forres have waited patiently for a new school.
"It is clear that a new school campus would be of great benefit to Forres.
"It will provide a better environment for pupil to learn and for staff to work, as well as being a valuable facility for the wider community.
"It was also vital that Forres was allocated priority to allow Moray to play its part in ensuring no school in Scotland has a D rating."
The vote to prioritise the academy came at the expense of Buckie High School, where 900 pupils had to say at home on Monday due to ongoing problems with its boiler system.
The high school's building was rated 'C' when it was last assessed five years ago, however there are fears that it has declined since.
