New Wick High School, Primary Schools, Community Facilities

[mi16]

All the drawings and plans tha tare currently available can be found at http://www.highland.gov.uk/learningh...+and+Plans.htm

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No they cant

[Bill Fernie]

The Highland Council launched their new web site a few days ago so it is possible they have moved the sections to new URL's. I will have to research that to find them when I have time.

[Bill Fernie]

The new page for the North of the river school is at http://www.highland.gov.uk/info/893/...gs_programme/6

The new page for the Wick schools campus is at http://www.highland.gov.uk/info/893/...gs_programme/5

A link to the plans etc is on those pages.

[Bill Fernie]

Names announced for new Wick primary schools

The names for two new primary schools being built under Highland Council’s modern school buildings programme were announced today in Wick by Caithness Civic Leader, Councillor Gail Ross.

Newton Park Primary School – is the new name for the new Highland Council primary school on the Wick joint campus, replacing Pulteneytown and South primary schools.

Noss Primary School was also announced today as the name of the new North of the River Primary School in Wick which will replace North and Hillhead Primary Schools.

Pupils, teachers, support staff and parents from South School and Pulteneytown Academy Primary joined Caithness Civic Leader, Councillor Gail Ross as she declared the name of Newton Park Primary School.

Around 80 primary 1 - 7 pupils walked from South School along the recommended route to the site of the new school at the rear of Pulteneytown Academy Primary to join the 254 Academy primary and nursery pupils to hear Councillor Ross declare the new school name. The school name was voted as the most popular choice in a ballot held from 30 May to 6 June. Ballot papers were counted on 9 June.

At the new joint campus site Councillor Ross said: “I am delighted to announce the results of the ballot and the new school name as Newton Park Primary School.

Councillor Ross today also declared the name of the new school north of the River Wick she said: “I am also pleased to announce the name of the new school which will combine North and Hillhead Primaries as Noss Primary School.

She said: “With shared identities for our two new schools we can now look forward to seeing the plans for our modern education in Wick become reality.”

[Bill Fernie]

The Wick Project
Newsletter 8 – July 2014

The Wick Schools Project
The Wick Schools Project includes the Wick Campus (incorporating the Newton Park Primary School, High School and East Caithness Community Facilities) on the Wick High/Pulteneytown Academy Primary School site, and the new Noss Primary School to be built on the current North Primary School site.
Please note the recently announced names of the new Primary schools.

On the Web
NOTE - the Council’s website has been revised, so the previous link is no longer available. The new link is http://www.highland.gov.uk/info/893/...ings_programme . A menu on the left hand side of this page allows you to select which project you require.

The Wick Campus
It was reported in the last Newsletter that Hubco were due to provide the results of the Tender Exercise to Council in April. The result of this exercise showed that costs were significantly above what was expected. The increased costs are due to the market being ‘buoyant’, and transport, accommodation and subsistence, due to Wick’s location.

During May and June, the Council, Hubco and Millers, and the Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) have been in discussion on a resolution to this issue.

A report was submitted to The Highland Council on Thursday 26th June outlining a solution - namely that additional funding would be applied to the Wick Campus project from two sources – for the High School/Swimming Pool - the Scottish Government/SFT would provide an additional 12% funding, with the Council providing an additional sum
to reflect the increased costs indicated above.

In addition, approval was sought to enter an Early Works contract with Hub, so that work can begin during the school holidays before the main contract and Financial Close is completed.

The Council approved the report unanimously.

There is still much negotiation to be completed, but we are now in a much better position to get to contract close.

Project Date
The Campus opening date remains the start of session 2016.

Noss Primary School

Progress
An Early Works package was signed between the Council and Hubco in April. The contractors have started the new build, taking over the playing fields, stripping the site, and setting out the foundations. See photos at http://www.caithness.org/atoz/wick/p...y=106&start=48

Work is progressing well.

The same issues regarding tender costs in the Campus also applied to this contract. The report to Council also requested additional funding by the Council to address these issues. This was again was approved unanimously.

The main contract between Council and Hubco is due to be signed by 4th July 2014.

Work on the new school will therefore continue without a break.

Project Dates

Due to the tender issues, the handover date for the new school has been delayed by 2 weeks to 24th July 2015. This will allow the Council to complete the set
up for the new school by 17th August, when Staff are due to return from the summer holidays.

Stakeholder Meeting
The next Stakeholder Meeting takes place on Monday 25th August at 7pm in Wick High School.

[Keyser_soze]

A couple of quick questions , theres a gymnasium being built , will this be open to the general public ? will the highland council actually supply machinery that actually works ? unlike the current gym in lower pulteneytown where we the users are consistently fobbed off by those in power.

[Bill Fernie]

Nicola Sturgeon at the new Wick High turf cutting http://www.caithness-business.co.uk/article.php?id=5131

[Bill Fernie]

A couple of quick questions , theres a gymnasium being built , will this be open to the general public ? will the highland council actually supply machinery that actually works ? unlike the current gym in lower pulteneytown where we the users are consistently fobbed off by those in power.

Have you contacted High Life Highland who run the facilities now under a contract from the council - http://highlifehighland.com/
If so what response did you get. This was brought up at the schools Stakeholder group and I understood it was being looked at as all the equipment is on a lease arrangement and should be fixed under the leasing arrangements. Did this happen? Are there still problems? If so let me know what the problems are currently for you by email me at bill.fernie.cllr@highland.gov.uk

[Bill Fernie]

Stakeholder Group minutes can be found at http://www.highland.gov.uk/downloads..._group_minutes