Councillors back AHS funding plans

COUNCILLORS have unanimously agreed to approach the Scottish government for help to fund a new Anderson High School, at Lerwick’s Lower Staney Hill.

An application to the Scottish Futures Trust for the new school plus a hostel for pupils from remote parts of Shetland is expected to be submitted next month.

The council believes it could receive up to 67 per cent towards a £30 million school that meets “national standards”.

On Wednesday morning councillors heard the local authority would be unlikely to face any penalties for going into debt as part of realising this project.

Head of finance Hazel Sutherland told the council that she had received “verbal assurance” from the Scottish government that the SIC would not lose the £13.5 million it receives annually as Scotland’s only debt free authority.

Councillor Allan Wishart said the breakthrough brokered by education chairwoman Betty Fullerton was a “significant and positive step”, and he called on his fellow members to “get on with it”.

Councillor Jonathan Wills said he wanted to record his thanks to Mrs Fullerton for opening up Scottish Futures Trust funding avenue, without which the council would not be able to build a new Anderson High school.