Dumfries Academy upgrade hit by funding failure

Dumfries Academy is the final secondary school in the town seeking an upgrade

Plans to upgrade a historic south of Scotland school face an uncertain future after they failed to secure Scottish government support.

A bid for Learning Estate Investment Programme (LEIP) funding for Dumfries Academy was unsuccessful.

Dumfries and Galloway Council (DGC) said it was "extremely disappointing" and it would consider its options.

The Scottish government said the latest phase of funding was to benefit areas which had previously missed out.

DGC is in the middle of a major upgrade of the schools in Dumfries as part of its Learning Town project.

Two of the town's four secondary schools have been replaced or overhauled with a third in the pipeline.

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However, it was hoped that LEIP support could complete that picture with a redevelopment of Dumfries Academy and the relocation of Loreburn Primary.

That plan failed to secure backing in the latest round of funding which went to 10 schools across the country.

DGC leader Gail MacGregor said it was a setback for their plans.

A replacement for Dumfries High School has previously secured support

"The LEIP funding offered an opportunity to bid for revenue funding to support the enhancement of one of our historic secondary schools, Dumfries Academy," she said.

"It also gave us as a council the chance to move Loreburn Primary school into part of the Academy building as part of the redevelopment works.

"In the wake of this disappointing news, we will now take time to consider what our options are in relation to this redevelopment work, and how it'll affect the communities, both at local and school level."

She said they had a large school estate in the region and the funding would have allowed them to rationalise it and "spend vital capital on an ageing property".

'Fairly and equitably'

"Our application was submitted in October last year, so to wait a full calendar year to be told 'no' is extremely disappointing for all concerned," she said.

"I'm sure the matter will be discussed at a future meeting of the council's education and learning committee."

A Scottish government statement said the third phase of funding had supported priority projects in areas which had not previously benefitted and treated all councils "fairly and equitably".

"DGC received financial support from phase two of LEIP to support the construction of a new Dumfries High School," it added.

"The proportion of schools in 'good' or 'satisfactory' condition in Scotland has increased from 61% in April 2007 to 90.7% in April 2023, and LEIP investment will build on this progress."

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