Report urges council to 'repair trust' in Dargavel over botched school provision

A national watchdog says Renfrewshire Council must continue to repair the broken trust in Dargavel, after the local primary school was built too small.

The local authority's response to the capacity saga has come back under the microscope with a second report by the Accounts Commission.

It comes years after the existing Dargavel Primary School in Bishopton’s Arrochar Drive was built far smaller than it needed to be, after miscalculations about what capacity was required.

It now means that the council is facing a bill of £60 million to expand school provision – with an 800-pupil campus planned for the north end of Craigton Drive, and a contribution towards an extension at the associated Park Mains High School.

'Rebuild trust'

The latest report says that Renfrewshire Council has taken action to rebuild the trust of local people, and that the community should continue to be engaged and consulted in the long term.

The Commission urges the council to demonstrate that it will both listen and act on the breadth and strength of views.

It recommends that the council be as transparent as possible about where the additional funding will come from, along with any potential impacts on services and finances.

READ MORE: Council accepts responsibility for school size blunder

Andrew Burns, Deputy Chair of the Accounts Commission said: “Whilst it’s clear action is being taken to address the cultures and behaviours that resulted in the failures of school provision, now the council must demonstrate sustained change and improvement in the longer-term.”

“Councillors have a critical leadership role. To help ensure they fulfil their scrutiny and decision-making responsibilities, councillors must have access to, and take up, appropriate training and development.

"This is vital to ensure historic failures of leadership and governance at the council are not repeated.”

'We will continue to build on this in the months and years ahead'

A spokesperson for Renfrewshire Council said: “We note the comments made by the Accounts Commission in their report.

"Their published findings – and those of the auditors – recognise and welcome our ongoing commitment to engaging the local community and that the council’s approach to its recent consultation and community engagement activity around the future of school provision in the Dargavel area has been comprehensive.

“They also note the work we have done to strengthen leadership and decision-making culture among senior officers.

"We will continue to build on all of this in the months and years ahead. The Commission has also recognised auditors found no evidence the roll-projection error has had a negative impact on council services to date.

“Contrary to views expressed in the findings, the expected financial impact of expanding school provision in the area has already been set out in multiple reports to councillors since late 2022, and our external auditor has previously acknowledged the openness and transparency with which we have approached this difficult and challenging issue.

“As we have previously said, the future impacts of these additional costs are being considered through the wider financial planning continually taking place to ensure the council remains financially stable over the coming years, and have been factored into our planned borrowing to fund our long-term capital investments and improve facilities across Renfrewshire.

“We have always provided an extensive programme of support for elected members to allow them to carry out their duties and will consider if there are any opportunities for this to be further strengthened.”

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