SCOTTISH Borders Council has agreed to prioritise rebuilding Eyemouth Primary School over Earlston if Scottish Government funding is not forthcoming.

At a meeting of the council’s executive committee last Tuesday, councillors were asked to nominate Eyemouth as the preferred project if the local authority has to provide the capital funding itself.

Martin Joyce, the council’s service director for assets and infrastructure, presented the report to the committee.

He said: “Eyemouth is facing significant capacity issues, in addition to the various condition and suitability issues, and is currently operating at 92 per cent of capacity.

“This is projected to rise over the next five years with a concomitant rise in the high school role which has also seen recent increases.

“Accordingly, it is proposed that Eyemouth Primary School is considered as the next immediate primary school investment proposal and it is recommended that a full design process and costings begin immediately to ensure this can be progressed as a priority while funding discussions continue with Scottish Government.

“In the event, however, that Scottish Borders Council has to fully fund the capital cost of Eyemouth Primary School, this would have the consequential impact of delaying the construction of the replacement Earlston Primary School.”

However, Mr Joyce confirmed that if sufficient funding can be acquired for both schools then the two projects would be progressed “in parallel, and in a similar manner to Broomlands and Langlee Primary Schools”.

The condition and suitability of each primary school has been ranked as ‘poor’ by the council, meaning that the buildings have major defects and are not operating optimally.

While both schools have poor facilities, Eyemouth Primary is at a much fuller capacity than Earlston, with Eyemouth consistently sitting at round 80 per cent capacity over the last ten years, compared to Earlston averaging at 63 per cent.

Furthermore, while Earlston Primary School has had a stable number of pupils over the last few years, Eyemouth’s pupil roll has risen from 70 per cent of capacity to 90 per cent since 2011.

East Berwickshire councillor Carol Hamilton, who acts as the authority’s executive member for children and young people, said: “I think it is essential for this council to update the school estate, to provide learning spaces fit for the future, to encourage young people to embrace their learning and to encourage people into the teaching profession.

“We’re looking to build schools to help our children flourish in the best environment that we can provide.

“The school estate initiative shows that this council not only has education at its heart, but in the community too.

“Both Eyemouth and Earlston are situated in old high school buildings and this needs to change if we’re going to meet the needs of learning and teaching, health and wellbeing, leisure and social activities, sports facilities and outdoor learning spaces for outdoor education.”