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Dundee Western Gateway community ‘shell-shocked’ over school funding snub

Bill Batchelor, chairman of the Western Gateway community group, says residents have been blindsided by the decision.

Bill Batchelor, Chairman of the Western Gateway Community Group. Image: Kris Miller/DC Thomson.
Bill Batchelor, Chairman of the Western Gateway Community Group. Image: Kris Miller/DC Thomson.

The Western Gateway community in Dundee say they have been left “shell-shocked” after the local council failed to secure government funding for a long-promised school.

It was announced earlier this week that Dundee City Council’s bid to the Scottish Government’s Learning Estate Investment Programme had been unsuccessful.

The local authority had applied to the fund in October 2022 which, if successful, would have covered around half of the £21.8 million cost to build a school in the area.

But without the expected cash, Dundee City Council has been left in what one member of the SNP administration described as a “very difficult position”.

‘We don’t know where we go from here’

The funding blow is the latest twist in the long running saga of the promised school, described by residents as “years of ‘broken promises”.

And Bill Batchelor, chairman of the Western Gateway community group, says residents have been blindsided by the recent Scottish Government decision.

“We are actually shell-shocked at the whole situation”, he said.

“You can never say never but we were almost reassured that the funding would be available so it feels like the rug has been pulled out from beneath us.

“It’s absolutely shocking and we don’t know where to go from here.”

Western Gateway
Artist impression of the Western Gateway housing development. Image: Supplied.

A number of Dundee politicians have since written to the Western Gateway community group to say they’re seeking a meeting with education secretary Jenny Gilruth to get clarity on the situation.

These include councillor Stewart Hunter, convener of the children, families and communities committee, and former government minister Joe FitzPatrick MSP.

Bill added: “We were promised the school regardless, if the Scottish Government backed it or not.

“As far we’re concerned it’s come on then, come to the party and give us the school.

“We will continue to push Dundee City Council to build the facility because we have been promised it since 2015 and they need to deliver it.”

Joe FitzPatrick is one of the Dundee politicians who has written to the education secretary seeking answers on the funding snub. Image: Kris Miller/DC Thomson.

A Dundee City Council spokesperson said: “We remain committed to building the Western Gateway Primary School as part of a future phase of the housing development and will continue to work with the Scottish Government to explore future funding opportunities.

“A further report will be submitted to committee, and we will continue to engage with the community on developments.”

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