Social area costing up to £100,000 will be built at AHS

The council is seeking to create more social space at the Anderson High School which could also be used as a flexible teaching or assembly area.

At yesterday’s services committee meeting councillors agreed that a timber-framed building should be constructed.

The building, expected to cost £80-£100,000, is to be sited adjacent to games hall and connected by a walkway.

The proposal was raised as part of ongoing improvements to the school, due in part to the fact that two areas of risk have been identified with the current “link corridor” in the school, where the S1 are currently allocated a space to use at break and lunchtimes.

The area, the report states, represents a possible legal risk through a potential contravention of fire evacuation regulations, and, as the route obstructs a main fire evacuation route it also represents a physical risk to users of the school.

As the most recent estimation of completion for the new Anderson is August 2017, the work is part of the ongoing upkeep of the current school.

The construction of the building will be partly funded by a Gateway application for capital funding, with the other half coming from the existing schools service building maintenance budget.

If funding is secured, work would be expected to begin this year.

The proposal raised concern from members of Scalloway Parent Council. Vice-chairwoman Karen Eunson said: “We’re completely flabbergasted; it’s a completely different picture to what’s been painted previously.

“We can’t quite believe it, there were parents who have children at the Anderson – and pupils there – who, at the public meetings, were saying there’s not enough room. And it’s not just an issue of comfort, this is to do with safety and fire regulations.”

She added: “How can we have any confidence in what they say?”

Head of schools service Helen Budge said: “I can fairly understand [Scalloway parents’] concerns, they are all on tenterhooks waiting to hear the outcome [of proposals to close the village’s secondary department], but this is part of an ongoing maintenance process at the school.”