Options being considered for new Thorn Primary
SENIOR officers at Renfrewshire Council have offered “reassurance” on plans for a new Thorn Primary School after it missed out on Scottish Government funding.
The local authority had hoped to land £10million from the learning estate investment programme (LEIP) towards a replacement building for the Johnstone school but found out its bid was unsuccessful at the end of October.
The council, which secured LEIP funding for a new Paisley Grammar School in a previous phase, has been reviewing its options for Thorn Primary in the months since.
Councillor Iain McMillan, Labour group leader and representative for Johnstone South and Elderslie, raised the issue at Thursday’s meeting of the education and children’s services policy board.
Julie Calder, the council’s head of education, told him: “Just to provide reassurance to the board that we are looking at options at the moment, given that we haven’t secured that funding.
“We will look at how we can progress, so we can bring a paper back to the board once we’ve gone through that piece of work.”
Councillor McMillan then asked for a timescale on that particular work. It was confirmed further information would be brought to the next board meeting on Thursday, March 14.
He said: “I don’t want to put you under too much pressure but it’s talk of the steamie in Johnstone, what’s happening with Thorn Primary School, so it would be good to have some indication of timing.”
Ms Calder responded: “I appreciate that, Councillor McMillan. Apologies, I probably should have said that.
“We are almost at the conclusion of that, so others will bring that back to the board in March.”