a temporary end to the council tax freeze could be the answer to a cash crisis that is preventing the replacement of two outdated primary schools.
Holyrood has given Scotland’s local authorities a “firm instruction” to retain their demands upon residents at current levels.
However, Kinross-shire councillor Willie Robertson believes that freeze is “tying the hands” of councils and preventing them from addressing local priorities.
Kinross Primary and Tulloch Primary in Perth have been assessed as “life-expired” by Perth and Kinross Council.
Though each is little more than 50 years old, they are examples of so-called “CLASP” design a now discredited system of prefabricating public buildings and have been beset with problems.
The council has only enough funding remaining to replace one of the schools.
Faced with the prospect of a competition and in the face of housing plans for Kinross that would put even greater pressure upon the local primary Mr Robertson believes fresh thinking is required.
He said: “Unfortunately, Perth and Kinross Council can only get enough Scottish Government funding to replace one of the two.
“If Kinross is chosen and I will be doing my best to make this happen then the children of Tulloch will have to put up with a school which is in a poor state of repair for the next 10 years.
“This is a most unsatisfactory situation and reminds me of how the council paid for the Loch Leven Community Campus and all the other schools that were provided under the Investment in Learning programme.
“The then council administration of which I was a member took the decision to raise council tax by 1% per year over a three-year period to raise the monies needed to fund our new schools.
“This allowed the council to build much-needed new community campuses in Perth, Crieff, Aberfeldy and Blairgowrie and created for Kinross-shire a modern high school, library, museum and sports facilities.
“If we in Perth and Kinross agreed today to increase the council tax we pay by 1% over two years to pay for new primary schools for Kinross and Tulloch, we would not be allowed to do it. Councils are in a powerless situation.”
Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Liz Smith is hopeful that the Scottish Government could be convinced to fund both new schools, with around £100 million apparently available for school infrastructure projects.
She does, however, believe there may be merit in looking again at how councils can raise funds.
“In these difficult times the council tax freeze has been welcomed by many local taxpayers,” Ms Smith said.
“However, paying for major infrastructure projects requires major financial commitment and, given the freeze in council tax, many councils across Scotland face difficult decisions when it comes to funding new projects like schools and flood defence schemes. Everyone wants to see the replacement of both Tulloch and Kinross primary schools and I have been at great pains to ensure that both these communities are not set against one another.”