Michael Russell, MSP for Argyll Bute, has welcomed the announcement by new Education Secretary, Angela Constance, that more than £20 million of Scottish Government funding has been secured for new primary school building projects. Schools to benefit include Dunoon Primary School, which will be fully refurbished to allow it to retain its listed building status.

Mr Russell says ‘This news will be very warmly welcomed in Dunoon where the long running saga of primary building or re-building looks close to coming to an end.

‘The Council have taken a very long time to get to this stage and there remains considerable local uncertainty about how the project will now proceed given that very little information on decanting of pupils from the existing building while the work is undertaken has yet been given to parents.

‘I hope Argyll Bute Council will now get on with the project and ensure that parents, children and staff are fully consulted and informed as it goes forward.

‘Investment in new and refurbished schools is a very positive thing for any government to do as it invests in the nation’s future.   With the building of a new school about to start in Campbeltown and support in place for a replacement in Oban the people of Argyll Bute are seeing the benefits of an SNP Government committed to education.’