Update 3 - August 2024
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Community Sounding Board
We had our first meeting of the Community Sounding Board in Craignure on Wednesday 21st August, where community representatives gave the project team valuable feedback on their planned communication and engagement with the community. The group agreed terms of reference and membership, which will include representatives from parent councils, community councils, local development trusts, school staff, pupil voices and other constituted community groups (e.g. Home Start). Key points of discussion were:
- The site selection and call for sites process.
- Dates, times, and venues for community engagement drop-in sessions due to take place at a range of locations on Mull and Iona between the 17th and 25th September 2024. The sessions will ask communities what issues they think are important to consider when assessing potential sites for the new campus. More information about these sessions will be issued soon.
- Being clearer as to what a new 2-18 campus on Mull means in terms of education provision and for the existing 2-18 school at Tobermory. It was agreed to develop a short update to be shared with the communities. This is provided below, and a single-page version is attached. We would be grateful if this could be shared widely.
New Mull Campus – what that means
The Community Sounding Board asked us to be clearer about what the new 2-18 campus on Mull means for education provision in the area.
- The funding is for a like for like replacement 2-18 campus; which is a combined early learning centre, primary and secondary school. The funding was awarded because the existing Tobermory campus continues to deteriorate and requires investment.
- Regardless of the location selected, when the new 2-18 campus opens, the existing
Tobermory school buildings will no longer be used to provide education. - If the location chosen is out with Tobermory this is likely to trigger a review of school catchment areas across the islands.
- There is no intention or plan to close any of the other primary schools across the islands.
- None of the above will impact on a parent’s entitlement to make a placing request to a school of their choice.
Call for Sites
We are asking people to come forward with possible sites for the new campus, with the following media release being issued this week:-
·¬ÇÑÊÓƵapp Council are seeking suggestions from the community on sites that may be suitable for the new, replacement Mull 2-18 Education Campus.
Members of the community are invited to come forward with suggestions of possible sites, which should be at least 2.3 hectares (roughly the size of the existing Tobermory High School site). As much detail as possible, including the site location, size and ownership (where known) should be e-mailed to mull.campus@argyll-bute.gov.uk no later than Friday 13th September 2024.
Project Process
The project set up is complete and we are about to start community engagement and site selection, which will run for the remainder of 2024.
The next project decision point is consideration of our Outline Business Case (OBC) at the end of 2025. If it is approved, it gives us permission to develop a detailed design and Full Business Case (FBC).
The purpose of these business cases is to demonstrate to the council that the project remains affordable and deliverable. Both Outline and Full Business Cases need to be approved by the council before we can start building.
If you have any queries or questions in relation to the project, or the information contained in this update, please feel free to contact us at our dedicated project e-mail mull.campus@argyll-bute.gov.uk– we would love to hear from you.
Update 2
Community Sounding Board
Invites have recently been issued to parent councils, community councils and local development trusts inviting a representative of each group to be a member of the project’s Community Sounding Board. The purpose of the group is to support the project team on how best to engage with the community, feedback their organisation’s views and help to keep the community informed about the project. We are aiming to hold the first meeting on Wednesday 21st August. This is the start of a potential 5-year partnership to deliver this exciting new educational campus.
Project Structure
We are continuing to set up the project governance structure and several meetings have been held as part of the formation of the project team, which consists of representatives from the Council’s Education, Commercial, Development & Infrastructure, Legal, Financial, Economic Development, IT and Health & Safety Services. The first Project Team and Strategic Board meetings have been scheduled during the first half of August, after which, these groups will continue to meet on a monthly basis, with diary dates confirmed for the remainder of the year.
The team are being supported by hub North Scotland ltd as part of their wider LEIP North Schools Programme. Mull Campus is one of 8 schools being delivered as part of the programme, co-ordinated by hub North. This is a collaborative partnership-based approach involving five local Councils in the North of Scotland, including two island Councils (Shetland and Orkney). It aims to reduce duplication, strengthen and share knowledge, leading to better quality buildings and more efficient and cost-effective project delivery.
Timescales
We are now mid-way in the project set up phase, and over the next month our newly formed project groups will start planning the community engagement and site appraisal & selection activities which are scheduled to run from September to December 2024. Project briefing, concept design and outline business case (OBC) development will take place during 2025 with the OBC being considered by the Council at the end of 2025. Approval of the OBC by the Council allows us to move to full business case in 2026.
Tobermory Campus works
We will continue to maintain the existing Tobermory Campus until a new campus is ready. The fencing at the Early Learning Centre is currently being replaced and this is due to be completed before the new term starts. Remedial works to the external fabric of the building are also underway and these will extend into the new term.
We hope our school staff, young people and their families are enjoying their summer break and will be in touch again around the commencement of the new term.
In the meantime, please feel free to email the Mull Campus inbox at mull.campus@argyll-bute.gov.uk if you have any queries or questions about the project or content of this update.
Update 1
At a full council meeting in April 2024, councillors agreed to develop an outline business case for the project. Work on this is progressing with the appointment of a project delivery team and an experienced project manager to oversee each stage.
Over the summer 2024, the Mull Campus Team will appoint specialist consultants to support the next stage and establish a project governance structure, including a dedicated Community Sounding Board to seek the views of key community representatives as the project moves forward.
In the Autumn the team plan to hold engagement sessions in a variety of locations across the area to seek the views of the local community on the new campus. They will also start the site selection process to find the most suitable location for the new facility. Local knowledge is key to this and members of the community are invited to highlight any sites that they feel may be suitable.