Wendy Alexander has criticised the SNP for the state of school buildings in Renfrewshire – almost a third are in a poor condition.

Wendy Alexander said “Time is running out for the SNP in Renfrewshire when it comes to the state of our schools. Labour built 10 new schools and provided funds to refurbish 12 more – in a programme the SNP opposed. They were wrong then and they are wrong now.
Despite nineteen local schools failing to make the grade last spring – not a single new school has been authorised.

I have obtained figures showing that in the spring over a third of all Secondary School pupils in Renfrewshire and over a quarter of all Primary School Pupils are being taught in rundown schools. In Renfrewshire

• 14 of 51 Primaries,
• 4 of 11 Secondaries, and
• 1 of the 3 Special schools
are all classified as in a poor state. Some work has taken place over the summer – improvements planned and financed under the last Labour administration but 12 primaries are still in a poor state with no works yet planned.
WA said
“Eighteen months in power and the SNP both across Scotland and here in Renfrewshire still haven’t commissioned one new school building and they haven’t put in place a new system of funding.
“Parents, pupils and teachers are running out of patience. Many local schools are not fit for purpose.

Labour built 10 new schools and refurbished 12 more, I want to know how many new schools will actually be built under the SNP in Renfrewshire and when will they be completed?

The truth is the SNP are a long way off matching Labour’s schools programme brick for brick. Labour refurbished over 300 schools when we were in power and we would have built 100 more by 2009.

Notes to Editors
The Schools in Renfrewshire that fail to make the grade

Primaries (19)
Howood, Auchenlodment, St.Anthony’s, Brediland, Lochfield, Ralston, St Charles’, St.Fergus’, St.Mary’s, St.Paul’s,St Peter’s, West, Kirklandneuk, St.James’, Renfrew
Kirklandneuk, St James’s Renfrew.
Please note since official return in the spring work is now underway at St Charles – it decanted April 08 – Dec 08
Craigielea and St Peter’s will decant Jan 2009- October 2009
These primaries were part of the original Labour refurbishment programme.
Work planned for Kirklandneuk and St James Renfrew – but no start dates

Secondaries (4)
Park Mains, Johnstone High, Castlehead High, Renfrew High
Work has been carried out on Castlehead since this return was made to Scottish Government
Improvements to Johnstone High, Castlehead and Renfrew High were all part of the original planned improvement programme under Labour and financial provision was made for the improvements.
Castlehead is now complete.
Johnstone High is currently decanted to St.Cuthbert’s High due to return in June 2010
In the case of Renfrew High the refurbishment is being carried out in situ this session
No decision taken on Park Mains

Special (1)
Clippens

Sources
School Estate Statistics 2008, 30th September 2008
A Scottish Government Statistics Publication
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/Recent – reflected state of schools in Renfrewshire in May 2008) See P 7, 13, 14