New Mull Campus queries: FOI release

Information requested

1) The quantum/amount of funding that Argyll & Bute Council will receive for the new campus on Mull depended on the preferred site being determined. The site has been selected but the project has been paused pending the outcome of a Judicial Review. Has the amount of funding been determined if so, how much will the Council we awarded? I respect there will be LEIP standards etc to meet with the build.

2) There are serious concerns among the Mull community that the site is the most expensive, too tight, and that it is rocky. If this proves to be the case does that mean the school will be built in Craignure? This site is the one that came second according to the scoring matrix. Will the Council receive any financial support if the site proves unsuitable?

3) How can communities who have serious concerns about a project be heard by their government? Community members on Mull would like a meeting with the Cabinet Secretary to discuss concerns and ideas in a productive way.

4) How many communities who are to have a new school build under the LEIP programme have complained to Scottish Government?

5) Please can I have copies of any correspondence/readout of meetings, emails, so all correspondence (However records are held/kept) between the Learning Inspectorate & Argyll & Bute Council on the New Mull Campus project or Tobermory Campus project.

6) Please can I have the same for the Scottish Futures/LEIP contacts who are working on the project (that is any emails etc. with Argyll & Bute Council).

7) I would like to see all correspondence on the project whatever is held and in want ever format and I would particularly like to see records of discussions with Kirsty Flanagan.

8) I would also like to know if there is a maximum figure agreed for the project and what this

9) There is a lot of data not recorded for the children who attend Oban High School I am told this because there is no SEEMis code. Please advise who I should highlight this to.

10) Are the Scottish Futures Trust/LEIP team aware that Argyll & Bute Council requested that Ryder Architecture prepare a document that considers or highlights 7 possible sites on a New Mull Campus including the current one, 6 in the Tobermory are and 1 in Craignure including the preferred site in 2022 and that this was never shared with the community?

Response

The answers to your questions are:

1) Funding amount does not depend on the preferred site being determined. Funding amount is calculated based on what the Local authority already has as the school provision, so is based on a like for like replacement of the existing school. The amount of funding has not been finalised, as some factors affecting funding amounts are still to be determined e.g. recognising construction costs in rural and island locations attract a premium and the potential for additional support to address project excessive abnormal costs. These factors will not be known fully until the project is closer to awarding a construction contract.

2) The decision on the school site location is the responsibility of the local authority. The principle of funding is not predicated on a particular site, so if an alternative was chosen to be the best option, then the above funding approach would still apply, regardless of site.

3) You will be aware that there is currently a Judicial Review underway in relation to the Mull Campus project and it would be inappropriate for the Scottish Government to comment on live proceedings. Scottish Government officials are content to meet with you after this process concludes.

4) The Scottish Government have received complaints from one other community, separate to Mull, in relation to a Learning Estate Investment Programme project.

5) While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the costs of locating, retrieving and providing the information requested would exceed the upper cost limit of £600. Having conducted searches for the information that you have requested, we have found that your request would cover a substantial volume of information. Under Section 12 of FOISA public authorities are not required to comply with a request for information if the authority estimates that the cost of complying would exceed the upper cost limit, which is currently set at £600 by Regulations made under section 12. You may, however, wish to consider reducing the scope of your request in order that the costs can be brought below £600. For example, you may wish to request information to a one month period. Although, we cannot guarantee at this stage that a refined request would not fall within the cost exemption. You may also find it helpful to look at the Scottish Information Commissioner's 'Tips for requesting information under FOI and the EIRs' on their website at: www.itspublicknowledge.info/YourRights/Tipsforrequesters.aspx

6) While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not hold the information you have requested. This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested. This exemption is not subject to the 'public interest test', so we are not required to consider if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption. You may wish to contact Scottish Futures Trust directly regarding this matter.

7) While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the costs of locating, retrieving and providing the information requested would exceed the upper cost limit of £600. Having conducted searches for the information that you have requested, we have found that your request would cover a substantial volume of information. Under Section 12 of FOISA public authorities are not required to comply with a request for information if the authority estimates that the cost of complying would exceed the upper cost limit, which is currently set at £600 by Regulations made under section 12. You may, however, wish to consider reducing the scope of your request in order that the costs can be brought below £600. For example, you may wish to request information to a one month period. Although, we cannot guarantee at this stage that a refined request would not fall within the cost exemption. You may also find it helpful to look at the Scottish Information Commissioner's 'Tips for requesting information under FOI and the EIRs' on their website at: www.itspublicknowledge.info/YourRights/Tipsforrequesters.aspx

8) No maximum figure has been agreed. As above, the funding offer from the Scottish Government is made up of a number of factors which at this time cannot be fully known

9) Any concerns about Scottish Government school statistics can be addressed to school.stats@gov.uk

10) We are not aware of the document noted in this question.

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