St Helen’s Primary School in Bishopbriggs was first brought to cllr Ben Rose’s attention when a resident wrote to him saying they thought the building was in a “very poor state” and should be upgraded while he was campaigning to become a councillor.
After being elected in 2022, he spoke to different departments within the council who concluded it cannot be refurbished or remodelled and would need to replaced.
It currently has an estimated replacement date of 2038 which cllr Rose says is “unacceptable”.
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(Image: Gordon Terris, Newsquest)
He said: “It’s one of those schools that was put up quite quickly and it really does need to be upgraded and replaced.
“There was a plan to replace St Helen’s by 2038 which I think is far too far away.
“I don’t think there’s any disagreement throughout the entirety of the council that it should be replaced but the issue is funding and how we resolve it.”
The building has been described as “crumbling” due to corrugated steel cladding rusting, windows being “drafty and decaying” and having uneven floors with parents concerned they could be dangerous.
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(Image: Gordon Terris, Newsquest) We previously reported that a lack of funds has led to plans to rebuild Balmuidy Primary in Bishopbriggs and refurbish Bearsden and Milngavie primary schools being postponed “indefinitely”.
At a meeting in August, East Dunbartonshire councillors agreed to write to the Scottish and Westminster governments to seek extra funding grants.
A report by councillors also identified East Dunbartonshire Council would need an accumulative tax rise of 13.4% every year in order to complete the build and maintenance projects of school at the head of the queue.
(Image: Gordon Terris, Newsquest)Cllr Rose says he will do anything necessary to ensure the council gets the funding it needs.
He said: “I will work with any party in any way for the Scottish Government to try and get this funding resolution resolved as how we’re going to fund these primary schools moving forward.
“This needs a cooperative response.”
He continued: “The school [St Helen’s] is great, the teachers are great, I’ve never had any issue or feedback with that, the education department is run really well.
“My impression from people I speak to is it’s a very good school and they’re happy sending their kids there.
“They’re proud of their school and so they should be, but the concern always revolves around the building.
“It has a really out of date feel to it.”
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Susan Murray, MP for Mid Dunbartonshire, said: “Pupils in East Dunbartonshire desperately need these schools to be rebuilt and the timescale they’re facing is unacceptable.
“We have four schools that cannot be built without a 13.4 per cent council tax hike, which is completely impractical.
“On top of that, we have four more schools that need to be rebuilt by 2038, including St Helen’s, which would be a mammoth task.
“The Scottish Government must provide East Dunbartonshire Council with the capital finance needed to rebuild crumbling schools like St Helen’s.”
Cllr Gordan Low, leader of East Dunbartonshire Council, said: “The Council is currently looking at our school estate to determine what investment will be required to meet net zero public sector building standards.
“St Helen’s Primary School in Bishopbriggs is one of four school buildings in East Dunbartonshire which cannot be refurbished or remodelled because of the nature of their construction and will therefore need to be replaced in order to meet the standard.
“Council officers are currently investigating options and costs and will report their findings within the overall investment strategy to council as part of the 2025/26 budget process.
“Essential and routine maintenance of our school buildings will of course continue to be carried out as required.”
