Published: Thursday, 11th March, 2010 6:00am

Work to start on new school

by Kirsty Gibbins

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CONSTRUCTION of the long-awaited new upper primary school in Dunbar is set to begin next month after councillors approved the award of a near £7 million contract.

The existing Dunbar Primary School building, at Lammermuir Crescent, will continue to provide pre-school education and primary 1-3 classes, while the new building will welcome children from primaries 4-7.

Construction work is due to start at the site of the new school, located at Hallhill, south of the railway line, in April, with completion expected in 2012.

The decision to develop a 'lower' and 'upper' primary school for Dunbar was taken due to increased pupil numbers caused by new housing developments and rising birth rates in the area, and after widespread consultation with parents, carers and community groups.

East Lothian Council's cabinet met on Tuesday and noted that Northern Ireland-based McLaughlin & Harvey Ltd has been awarded the £6.9 million works contract following a competitive tendering process in line with European procurement rules. The total capital spend on the project will be approximately £9.8 million.

Dunbar and East Linton councillor Paul McLennan told the meeting: "This is a major investment in the Dunbar area. It has taken a number of years and many public meetings to get us to this point and I know the community is looking forward to having a new school."

Councillor Stuart Currie, cabinet member for housing, also stated: "Work to create the access road and a network of paths to the new upper school building was carried out last year.

"Today's contract approval brings us one step closer to delivering new education facilities that will meet the needs of Dunbar's increasing school population."

However, a row broke out between elected members in the council chamber after Labour councillor Willie Innes criticised the fact that none of the contractors invited to put forward tenders for the school construction project had been from East Lothian, and branded it "inconceivable" that locally-based companies, he claimed, appeared to be at a disadvantage in gaining council works contracts.

"For some considerable time the Labour Group has been asking the administration to review its procurement process," he told members.

And he cited Hart Builders of Macmerry, which he said had a track record of building schools in East Lothian that had been "praised by people like the First Minister and the Education Secretary", yet it had not been included in the tendering process.

"There has to be a way of protecting East Lothian in terms of best value for the area and that local firms can be able to win contracts wherever possible."

It was heard that Hart Builders had not been successful in meeting the criteria required by European procurement process - for works contracts of an estimated value exceeding £3.6 million companies applying to the tendering process must pass an EU pre-qualification questionnaire.

Alan Forsyth, head of community housing and property management at the council, explained that the council's senior buyer would be advising the companies that were unsuccessful why they had failed the process.

Councillor David Berry, council leader, said: "I don't think anyone is particularly delighted that local companies are not getting contracts but we have a duty to deliver best value and to do that within the confines of the law."

"What you're suggesting [Mr Innes] is that there needs to be a change in the law and that's not within our power to do."

He added that local employment would be provided to a degree by McLaughlin & Harvey Ltd using sub-contractors based in the county.