A protest over the preferred location for a 2-19 campus on the Isle of Mull was held yesterday, following a decision to locate the school in Tobermory.
As many as 60 folk – about 2% of the island’s population – gathered after a majority of councillors rejected calls from some parents for a more central campus – or for it to be split across two locations.
The decided such ideas would be too costly and instead will build a new £43 million campus in Tobermory, less than a mile from the existing high school.
At present, as they have for decades, children as young as 11 from Iona and the Ross of Mull go to school on the mainland, in Oban.
They leave home on Monday at 6am and return home – weather permitting – on the ferry on a Friday evening.
During the week in Oban they stay in a school hostel near the high school.
According to an Argyll and Bute Council survey parents from Iona want to continue the current arrangements.
As a result of the campus decision, children from the Ross of Mull will continue to live away from home five nights a week in Oban.
Split site would add £10million to Mull Campus costs
Some parents had argued the the new school should be built on a split site with a primary campus in Tobermory and a high school in Craignure.
A local developer even offered a free site in Craignure, near to the ferry terminal, for the school to be built on.
However, at a special meeting of the council held last week, councillors opted NOT to place the school in a more central location, such as at the Craignure ferry terminal.
Councillors were advised that a split site for the campus would add up to £12 million to the cost of the project.
The cost, in straitened financial times, was a step too far for some Argyll and Bute councillors to burden the public purse with.
On a Mull Facebook page, Councillor Willie Hume wrote: ‘The council has decided to progress the new Mull campus on the preferred site of Tobermory South.
“A split site is not affordable as it would cost another £10m -£12m on top of the £43m envisaged costs at the moment.”
His post has so far attracted 177 comments, many saying the councillor has ignored the needs of children on the island who will now be “forced” to go to school in Oban.
Councillor Julie McKenzie, along with six other councillors, laid down her dissent at the council meeting.
She told colleagues she had “serious misgivings” about the location of the school.
In a statement, the councillor said: “I do not believe that any of the single site options offer the best outcome for all of the young people of Mull.
“I also believe that given the results of community consultation carried out by the council and by Mull Community Council, that the settled view of the majority of the Mull communities is that a two site solution would have provided the best outcome in terms of equity of access to education for all Mull’s young people.”
‘Families belong together’
Mull school campaigner, dad Rob Claxton-Ingham said parents and children had gathered at the end of a visitor levy meeting on the island where senior council officers were in attendance.
He said the size of the crowd showed the strength of feeling from the island against the decision taken by councillors.
“It was great to have such a broad age range, from babies to grandparents, in the crowd,” he said.
“There were over 60 people, more than 2% of the island population, during working hours on a midweek day.”
It is understood that parents are likely to make a legal challenge to the council decision in the coming days.
Council says consultation with island has gone above and beyond
Argyll and Bute Council issued a statement following the decision last week.
A spokeswoman said: “Mull has a current population of approximately 3,000, with 178 secondary school aged pupils.
“Of those, 55% are in North Mull (includes Tobermory), 15% central, 16% South West Mull (i.e. Ross of Mull) and 14% in other parts of the island, with the majority of the islands ELC and primary pupils currently attending schools in Tobermory.
“Community engagement has played a vital role in the project, with communities helping to shape and progress the project.
“There was feedback through various routes, from online surveys to drop-in sessions, the Community Sounding Board and a Pupil Working Group.
“The Scottish Government has confirmed the council has gone beyond what they are required to do and is positive regarding the prudent approach they are taking.”
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