Rt Hon Alistair Darling MP

I am very concerned about the recent threat to Boroughmuir High School’s chances of getting a new or refurbished school.

The new Council administration have announced they can’t deliver the rebuilding programme for 5 schools across Edinburgh after the new Scottish Executive administration confirmed they will not fund the work.  The Scottish Education Minister declared that “we don’t have £100 million with Edinburgh’s name on it.” 

This is a bad news for parents in Edinburgh who were told by the Scottish Executive they would “match the school building programme brick for brick”.  I know it will be a blow to the Boroughmuir parents who wrote to me recently following a meeting with the Council.  At that time they remained confident that the pressing need to make Boroughmuir fit for purpose will mean it remains a high priority for substantial investment.

Last month, as Chancellor, I announced in my pre-budget report increases to the annual Scottish budget to £30bn by 2011 which is more than double the level available to First Minister Donald Dewar in the very first Scottish Executive in 1999.   This is a budget that is there for investment including refurbishing or rebuilding schools.

The Boroughmuir buildings are almost 100 years old and it’s one of the oldest schools in Edinburgh.  Children deserve to be and need to be in a high quality building to support them in achieving their potential.  Although it’s not just the children who would benefit - Boroughmuir High School is busy every evening offering a full community education service to local people – arts, history and languages to upholstery and motor cycle maintenance amongst other things.

Constituents from voluntary organisations have told me that grants previously pledged to them have been withdrawn.  Securing adequate and stable funding is one of the biggest difficulties for voluntary groups.  Some of these groups fear they will have to reduce the support services they offer to the community and make redundancies.

Please get in contact with me if you want to discuss these or any other issues.  I can be contacted at my office at 22A Rutland Square, Edinburgh, EH1 2BB or by email, darlinga@parliament.uk.