Full Council agrees funding bid for North West Kilmarnock

This decision was taken by Full Council following a robust consultation and agreement of the plans by Cabinet of Wednesday 5 October that:

• Willowbank Primary School provision will be discontinued within the existing Willowbank School and relocated to the current Onthank Campus with effect from August 2027 or as soon as possible thereafter
• an additional Early Years Transition Facility will be established within the relocated Willowbank Primary School with effect from August 2027 or as soon as possible thereafter
• the existing Inclusion Resource at Onthank Campus will be formally incorporated as a Supported Learning Centre, which will happen by August 2023
• an Early Childhood Centre will be established at Mount Carmel Primary School with effect from August 2027 or as soon as possible thereafter.

The LEIP Phase 3 funding bid will now be submitted to the Scottish Government for consideration and it is anticipated that successful bids will be announced by the end of the year. A requirement of the bid is that all projects receiving funding will have to be completed by December 2027.

An affordability cap of £48.7m has been agreed for the project and if successful would be funded 50% by the Council and 50% by the Scottish Government.

Full Council also considered future options for Hillhead Primary in Kilmarnock and Lainshaw Primary in Stewarton. Both schools had been identified in the current School Estate Management Plan as requiring investment. Discussions were held around the identified improvements at Hillhead that include an extension, the replacement of the existing kitchen and dining facilities and improvements to external areas and similar plans for Lainshaw, which include an extension providing additional primary and early years accommodation to meet future demands.

It was agreed that further consideration would be given to these plans once a decision was made by the Scottish Government on the Council’s bid to LEIP Phase 3. If the bid for North West Kilmarnock is not successful, the Council will need to re-evaluate the project, along with plans for Hillhead and Lainshaw to ensure that priorities can be delivered within an agreed, affordable budget.

Councillor Elaine Cowan, Cabinet Member for Lifelong Learning, Education and Skills and Culture said: “I am really pleased that Full Council has taken the decision to submit a formal funding bid to the Scottish Government’s Learning Estate Investment Programme (LEIP) Phase 3 for new investment in North West Kilmarnock. Plans for the inclusive educational development on the sites of Mount Carmel Primary and Onthank Primary and Early Childhood Centre have been positively received by parents, carers, Education Scotland and local communities.

“The project team from Education is also working collaboratively to ensure that colleagues, including the team from Economic Development, are part of the proposal development process as place-making has an important role to play in regenerating areas like the North-West.

“The Council’s Capital Investment Programme includes capital funding for Hillhead Primary in Kilmarnock and Lainshaw Primary in Stewarton, which have both been identified as a priority for investment. There were positive discussions held on the best way forward and it was agreed that the plans for Hillhead and Lainshaw would be considered fully once the Scottish Government has made a decision on our funding bid for the North West. The Education Service will keep parents and carers updated when they are in a position to do so.

“Our focus is on continuing to provide the best possible learning facilities for our children and young people. It important to acknowledge that this is a challenging time, the current unsettled economic climate means that very careful consideration is required to ensure our long terms objectives are achieved. As a Council, we are focused and determined to give our children and young people the best possible start in life.”