Q. Where can I find the most up to date Project information?
A. We have a dedicated project webpage on the Council website, which can be found at Tobermory Campus Project.
Additionally, should you have any queries or questions you wish to clarify, you can contact the team at tobermory.campus@argyll-bute.gov.ukand a response will be provided.
Q. Why do we need a new school?
A. The Learning Estate Strategy agreed by elected members at Council in August 2021 looked at all the schools in ɬ and a suitability survey was carried out on each school. Both suitability and condition surveys are criteria led and include aspects such as accessibility, purpose-built spaces and social spaces. The Strategy set out an ambition for all schools to be category A or B (good/ satisfactory).
The overall Suitability band for Tobermory High School was category C (poor). As this is the only primary and secondary school within ɬ with a category C for Suitability, it was considered to be a priority.
Q. Who are Hub North?
A. Hub North is working in partnership with the Council to deliver the new Mull Campus. They are one of five hubs set up by the Scottish Government via the Scottish Futures Trust to deliver community infrastructure across the country. To date they have successfully delivered 19 new schools across Scotland including four in ɬ.
Hub North are a development partner for the public sector to deliver community infrastructure projects across the north. They are a non-profit organisation working on behalf of 16 public sector clients, including local authorities, health boards, the police, fire and ambulance services.
All 16 public sector clients, including ɬ Council, are shareholders in the company. Any financial surpluses are ploughed back into the public sector. Hub North Scotland’s role is to help clients develop community infrastructure projects from conception to handover.
Hub North provides additional resources when required and facilitates the appointment of specialist services such as architects, engineers and a main contractor for the project. It manages the whole process until handover, working alongside the Council. They operate an ‘Open Book’ process with full transparency and accountability on everything they do and all tendering is carried out with the complete involvement and approval of the Council.
Hub North Scotland has already helped ɬ Council successfully deliver projects such as the new Oban High School, Campbeltown Grammar School, Kirn Primary School and the refurbishment and extension of Dunoon Primary School.
Hub North created the North Schools Programme to develop and deliver new learning estate for five local authorities in Scotland. You can find out more on their website here: -
The Mull Campus project is part of the North Schools Programme, a pioneering initiative set up by Hub North Scotland to bring together five local authorities to deliver eight new schools by working together to share resources, knowledge and best practice.
This joint programme approach will help clients deliver their school projects more quickly, more efficiently and will deliver substantial commercial and community benefits including opportunities for small and medium-sized local businesses, local employment and training.
Q. How is LEIP funding allocated – what are the conditions it is based on?
A. Eligibility for the Learning Investment Programme (LEIP) is either on the grounds of improving the condition of a school or to address growth. If projects are submitted for condition improvement they are funded on a “like for like” basis on the capacity and facilities of an existing school, whereas a growth project is funded on the additionality provided. LEIP does not support projects for both condition improvement and growth.
The Mull Campus bid was made on the basis that the Tobermory 2-18 Campus is rated as C (poor) for suitability. Given that the current campus is not using its full capacity and there are no forecasts for large increases in the pupil population in the area, then this would not have been a good basis for a successful bid and the LEIP team advised this would have resulted in less funding. They further confirmed that the current bid maximises the amount of funding that is likely to be available for the project.
Q. What does LEIP Funding cover?
A. A: The Scottish Government confirmed that LEIP funding had been awarded to Argyll & Bute Council to build a new 2 – 18 Campus on Mull (a combined early learning centre, primary and secondary school) on 30th October 2023, subject to the Campus achieving a number of quality, environmental, space, function and condition standards.
On 25th April 2024, ɬ Councillors approved the Project Team to prepare an Outline Business Case for the new Campus, which will receive up to 50% funding of eligible costs. The new Campus will be funded on a “like for like” basis, which means that funding is based on the existing pupil capacity numbers, and community facilities within the existing Tobermory Campus. Any facilities beyond or above the “like for like” criteria (for example, land purchase, a hostel, a commercial hub or an additional sports hall) would not be funded by LEIP.
Q. Why weren't bids put in a (LEIP) phase 1 or 2?
A. The Council was not in a position to make a commitment to the LEIP funding process until now
Q. What is the timescale for the Project?
A. Site appraisal & selection activities are scheduled to run from September to December 2024.
The next project decision point is consideration of our Outline Business Case (OBC) at the end of 2025. If it is approved, it gives us permission to develop a detailed design and Full Business Case (FBC).
The purpose of these business cases is to demonstrate to the council that the project remains affordable and deliverable. Both Outline and Full Business Cases need to be approved by the council before we can start building.
Project briefing, concept design and outline business case (OBC) development will take place during 2025 with the OBC being considered by the Council at the end of 2025.
Approval of the OBC by the Council allows us to move to full business case in 2026, which if approved, will allow the construction phase to commence late 2026. Funding has been awarded on the basis that the new Campus will be opened by the December 2027, but with the delay in the funding announcement the LEIP team have indicated that this could potentially be extended.
Note: the above timeline was applicable at the time of the funding award on 30 October 2023. As the project has progressed, there have been implications on this proposal, and an updated timeline will be provided following the outcome of the Judicial Review
Q. When would the building be built?
A. It is anticipated that construction would start in 2027 with the school opening in early 2029. These timescales are estimates and will be reviewed and updated as the project progresses.
Note: the above timeline was applicable at the time of the funding award on 30 October 2023. As the project has progressed, there have been implications on this proposal, and an updated timeline will be provided following the outcome of the Judicial Review
Q. Is there an opportunity for partner organisations to secure funding for aspects of the project?
A. We are open to discussions with potential funding partners, and ideas have been put forward during the community engagement which the team will follow up where possible. We are actively engaging with other organisations, e.g. for sports and athletics, and will explore potential funding opportunities with them if these exist. Local development trusts (MICT, South West Mull & Iona Development and North West Mull Community Woodland Company) are represented on our Community Sounding Board.
In addition, the team are being supported by hub North Scotland ltd as part of their wider LEIP North Schools Programme. Mull Campus is one of 8 schools being delivered as part of the programme, co-ordinated by hub North. This is a collaborative partnership-based approach involving five local Councils in the North of Scotland, including two island Councils (Shetland and Orkney). It aims to reduce duplication, strengthen and share knowledge, leading to better quality buildings and more efficient and cost-effective project delivery.
Q. Could the Council collaborate with BE-ST () to consider sustainable and innovative solutions to the challenges of island building and climate conditions? This is an opportunity to aim for the highest standards, and not just build to cost
A. It is a criteria of LEIP funding that the building meets stringent environmental standards. The Mull Campus project is part of a number of schools across Scotland that will require consultant experts to advise on all aspects of the build.
Q. Will it be possible to have a “split” site, with Early Learning/Primary facilities in Tobermory and a High School located more centrally?
A. LEIP funding is based on a “like for like” replacement basis. This means that funding is based on the existing pupil capacity numbers, and community facilities within the existing Tobermory Campus only (inclusive of the Nursery, Primary School, High School, College, Community spaces, Library and sports facilities).
Any facilities beyond or above the ‘like for like’ criteria are not funded by LEIP. The Council would therefore require to fund 100% of those additional spaces.
Campus facilities have greater efficiency and affordability than separate or split site projects which would need at least two buildings with two sets of accommodation to meet LEIP requirements, such as dining / games hall, commercial kitchens, pitches, staff rooms, plant / server rooms and external spaces. 2x building projects would also require additional preliminary construction costs including roads, car parking, site compounds and utilities connections. This doubling up of facilities and project costs would add significant additional cost to the proposals and, as the funding position would remain “like for like” with the existing facility, meaning additional spaces or costs would not be funded by LEIP.
In addition to this ‘doubling up’ of spaces, from a construction point of view, a split site would have higher than single site operational and revenue costs compared to a campus as there would be at least 2 x utilities costs, non-domestic rates, cleaning, maintenance costs and enhanced staffing / supervision costs.
LEIP funding is also contingent upon that the project being open to pupils by December 2027. With a current estimate of construction completion in early 2029 the Council have already informed the Scottish Government we are likely to exceed this timescale which puts the project at a degree of risk. Again, the view is splitting the site would likely increase the project planning and construction timescale even further therefore increasing this risk.
The council approval for the project to proceed in April 2024 was on the basis of a single construction project of a 2-18 campus. This is what the team will continue to progress.
As outlined above it would not be financially affordable to have two separate construction projects and operational school sites. This would present a much greater financial challenge to the council’s capital and revenue (operational and staffing) budgets with an increased risk of the project not receiving outline or full business case approval due to affordability.
As well as the Council perspective, the Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) have indicated there is no other identified sources of funding to support a split site beyond the package already offered as part of the LEIP funding which has been reported to Council.
The Council acknowledges that the engagement process has yet to be included and confirms all representations will be considered but given the circumstances outlined above the Council’s position is that the option of splitting the Mull Campus is not one which could be afforded.
