Shared Campus Update...

I chaired a meeting of the Port Glasgow Shared Campus Working Group tonight.

Prior to the meeting the working group had a short tour of the temporary shared campus.

At the meeting itself Eddie Montgomery of the Council's School Estates Team gave a progress report on some outstanding works still to be completed and an assessment of the traffic issues since the temporary campus came into operation in August. The outstanding works should be completed over the next few weeks. A leaflet will be issued to parents reminding them of the drop off arrangements at the campus.

The Head Teachers then provided a report on how the schools had settled into their new surroundings. While not unexpectedly there have been a few operational issues, on the whole Mr Parsons and Mr Dick were delighted with the way things had went. The feedback from parents on the working group was also very positive.

Personally I am delighted at the way the schools have adapted to the temporary arrangements. Although it is not ideal having two schools sharing a campus that was not specifically designed for that purpose, the school communities have recognised that an element of short-term disruption is a price worth paying for the long-term prize of a new shared campus.

Eddie Montgomery also gave an update on the development of the new shared campus. He advised the group that the contractor will officially take possession of the site on 3 October, although the pre-demolition works have already commenced. The construction programme anticipates completion of the campus in July 2013.