The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
‘A tough decision’: Nearly £5m cut from PH20 project
Perth and Kinross Council is considering chopping nearly £5 million from the long-standing PH20 project to help pay for the new Perth High School.
The scheme, run by Live Active Leisure (LAL), aims to replace Perth Leisure Pool with a £25 million state-ofthe-art facility.
In a report to councillors, senior accountants insist the council will continue to work with LAL to review and progress the project.
Council leader Murray Lyle said: “This is a LAL-led project and I know it will cause some concern for them.
“But it does give them a credible steer as to where they are going in the future.
“There is nothing to stop them from getting money from elsewhere to complete this project. It is a case of closing one door, but also opening up new opportunities.”
He added: “That was definitely one of the tougher decisions that we’ve had to make.
“But it has been a pot of money that has been lying around for years and no decision was made on it.”
Plans to build a new primary at Oudenarde are being put on hold, saving just over £10m. The long-standing housing scheme was delayed earlier this year when the Scottish Government called in the planning application, just hours before it was due to be approved.
Councillors will also be asked to withdraw plans to replace Pitlochry Primary at a cost of nearly £14m. Around £3m will instead be spent improving the existing building.
A further £14.7m is proposed for the new Blairgowrie Recreation Centre, around £3m less than what was originally proposed.
Mr Lyle said the new facility will still have everything the community asked for, while reducing the total budget will also help decrease revenue costs.
Perth and North Perthshire SNP MP Pete Wishart questioned the spending plan, adding: “I am deeply concerned about the implications.”