Committee Agrees £3.2m Spend for School Move And Refurb

Members of Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Finance, Procurement and Transformation (FPT) Committee today (Tuesday 18 June) agreed to fund the refurbishment of Dumfries Academy, and the move of Loreburn Primary School to the Minerva building within Dumfries Academy.

The project, which has already been agreed by Members, will be delivered through the Council's strategic delivery partner, Hub South West.The move, which will see more than £3 million worth of council investment, allowsdesigndevelopment, planning and investigatory worksto commence, ahead of the refurbishment, planned for commencement in 2026.

The decision to move Loreburn Primary School to be part of the Dumfries Academy campus was taken at Education and Learning Committee last month and today’s decision to award the funding means it is forms part of the council’s capital programme of works for 2024/25.

Loreburn Primary school has a school roll of 175 and the move to the Minerva wing of the existing Academy building will see greater collaboration and efficiencies as well as providing an enhanced learning experience for pupils who attend.

Across the region, the council has a number of primary and secondary schools that share a campus. The benefits of this arrangement have seen improved opportunities for learners from primary one onwards, throughout their school journey.

Dumfries Academy has more than 600 learners currently on the school roll and has been a secondary school in Dumfries town centre for hundreds of years.

The redevelopment works will see class spaces upgraded, a new Physical Education block created and allow for greater technology to be applied to the school.

Executive Director of Education, Skills and Community Wellbeing, Dr Gillian Brydson welcomed today’s decision.She said:

“This is fantastic news for learners, parents. carers and staff across both school campuses.

"Members decided last month that the option of relocating Loreburn into Dumfries Academy was the best option from those available and through this additional investment, it allows us as a local authority to progress the works to making this move happen.

“There will be a lot of work to do to get us to the point where the Academy is refurbished and Loreburn is into the Minerva building. I am not only confident we will get there but also I look forward to playing my part in leading both schools through this transition and into the future.”

The report is available at COMMITTEE REPORT TEMPLATE & GUIDANCE (moderngov.co.uk)