Primary school cash

FUNDING provided the Scottish government will pay for two thirds of the cost of carrying out refurbishments at two primary schools in Lerwick.

SIC children’s services director Helen Budge said the money would help the local authority to make improvements to heating, windows and external parts of Bell’s Brae primary, along with repairs to Sound primary’s roof.

Scotland’s learning minister Alasdair Allan confirmed on Friday that Shetland would be one of 13 local authorities to benefit from the latest £330 million tranche of funding under the “schools for the future” programme.

The exact details will be set out in November, but Budge told BBC Radio Shetland that she understood the government would be providing around £1 million. The SIC will also have to put in a contribution, and the work has to be completed by 2017.