Education officials failed to keep Highland councillors in the loop on the critical issue of school rolls, according to a senior member of the SNP-led administration.
Inverness member Ken Gowans yesterday welcomed a council pledge of an extra £48million for Inverness schools over the next decade to ease the pressure on school intake.
But he was unimpressed with the authority’s own communication skills, claiming councillors were not kept informed about the capping of school rolls.
The education committee agreed last November that the pressures affecting primary schools in the city should be analysed as part of a wider schools review.
Since then, a report was taken to the Inverness city committee and officers attended ward meetings to brief councillors and gather feedback on relevant issues and any options.
A revised capital programme agreed in March included 10-year funding amounting to £48million for the Inverness schools estate review to address the capacity, condition and suitability of primary and secondary schools.
Pupil numbers at Cradlehall, Inshes and Lochardil primaries have all been capped for this year. The impact will be monitored over the coming months.
In the latest appraisal of the city’s school portfolio, the council says a feasibility study regarding an extension at Smithton Primary is well advanced and two additional classrooms will be installed at Merkinch Primary this summer.
Proposals are being considered for additional capacity at Cauldeen Primary.
Education director Bill Alexander presented a progress report on roll pressures in the Highland capital along with an update on the council’s capital programme and its priorities for future investment.
Mr Alexander said further analysis was needed to establish the need for expansion at Kinmylies and Muirtown primaries. And, due to demand at the Inverness Gaelic School, a feasibility study will be carried out to look at the implications of moving it to a larger site elsewhere in the city.
Mr Gowans said: “At Inverness city committee on November 2, ward members were informed that they would be kept informed of any capping that was going to take place and, frankly, that didn’t happen.
“The first that ward members knew about this was when they read it in the local press.”
Education committee chairman Alasdair Christie apologised and said he would investigate why members were not kept informed.