The Highland Council has welcomed confirmation that Wick High School is to attract significant funding from the Scottish Government which will help provide a new school, incorporating community facilities, such as a new swimming pool.

The grant from the Scottish Government will be £18.4 million and is likely to be available to allow construction work to start in 2012-13. The Highland Council will be expected to meet the balance of the project costs.

The offer includes funding for community facilities, including a replacement swimming pool, and this will have implications for the site of the new school. This issue has already been identified within a report that will be considered by Members in due course.

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The school is one of 14 secondary schools in Scotland to attract funding from the Scottish Futures Trust in recognition of its condition and suitability, which were highlighted in the Council’s annual report on the condition of its school estate to the Scottish Government.

Councillor Bill Fernie, Chairman of the Education Culture and Sport Committee, said: “This is really great news for Wick High School and will be warmly welcomed by the staff and pupils and everyone who has been campaigning so hard for investment in the school. The inclusion of community facilities is also great news for the wider community.”

Council Leader Michael Foxley is delighted that the Council’s support for the community campaign to win Scottish Government funding has paid off. He said: "This is a major success for all those involved in campaigning for a replacement of Wick High School. We successfully discussed with the Minister our policy of building community schools and he has ensured that the design includes key local community needs. We now hope the Scottish Government will assist us with at least one primary school in the near future.”

(GK)