FIVE Wee County schools are in line for £2.8million worth of capital investment over the next three years.

Clackmannanshire councillors were told on Thursday that  Alva, Banchory, Muckhart, St Serfs, and Deerpark primary schools are in “more pressing need for investment” to maintain standards and extend the school life expectancies. 

Without the investment, some schools, like Banchory and Alva, could begin to deteriorate within the next 10 years. 

“We have identified five schools to be prioritised for investment over the next three years. It will ensure the schools are maintained to a good standard,” Cllr Graham Lindsay said.

“The schools are safe and will continue to provide excellent learning environments for pupils and staff, and we’ll aim to minimise the disruption any of these works would cause.” 

The investments will cost “in the region of £2.832m” from the council’s previously approved £4.750m Capital Investment Programme. 

Councillors were told that the investment would “ensure that the schools are maintained in a good state of repair”.

If things are left as is, then Alva PS “may start to deteriorate over the next 10 years”.

However, if the recommended works are carried out, councillors were told the building will likely “continue to serve its purpose for the next 15-20 years”. 

Councillors signed off on plans to invest £759,950 into Alva PS over the next three years for a variety of improvement works – including external cladding and walling, window repair and replacement, roof improvements, and repair and replacement of rainwater goods. 

Without investment, Banchory PS could only have 5-10 years of life left in the building. 

“Neglecting to carry out recommended immediate works would have a detrimental effect to the safe occupation and use of the building and the internal fabric of the property,” the council report said. 

“It is estimated that the deterioration of critical building fabric elements would be accelerated to an unsuitable condition within a relatively ‘short term’ – within the next 3-5 years.” 

However, councillors signed off on a £737,350 capital investment plan over the next three years to bring the school back to a state of good repair. 

The plans will see external repairs to the curtain walling system, window repairs and replacements, roof improvements, and repair and replacement of rainwater goods.

READ MORE: Wellbeing Hub enters technical design stage

The roof coverings to Lochies School and over parts of the Deerpark PS dining hall and toilet block are in “most urgent need of replacement”. The rest of the roof also needs “recovering” in the long term. 

“The estimated life left in the building if none of the recommended works were to be undertaken, would be heavily influenced by the poor condition of roof coverings, rainwater goods, curtain walling system and external decoration,” councillors were told. 

“Water ingress from the roofs was apparent to several rooms and in particular around redundant roof lights. Neglecting to carry out recommended immediate works would have a knock-on effect to the internal fabric of the property.” 

However, with the £730,000 investment over the next three years, the school can be brought back to a “good state of repair” and continue serving its purpose for 20 or more years.

St Serfs PS is in a similar position with “significant building defects” identified. 

The life expectancy of the building would be “heavily influenced by the poor condition of the staff block flat roof”, the blocked gutters, and the “poor condition” of the boundary wall if work isn’t undertaken. 

“There has been a continual leak around one of the skylights on the pitched roof, which has allowed for timber decay, wood boring insect infestation and vermin nesting,” the council report said. 

“Some sections of cast iron gutters are already corroded beyond economic repair, as are some of the timber fascia boards.”

As a result, councillors were told critical building elements could deteriorate to an “unsuitable condition” within the medium term if something doesn’t happen. 

That’s why councillors agreed to invest £554,436 into necessary works at St Serfs PS over the next three years. 

Muckhart PS is also in line for £50,000 worth of investment over the next three years. 

The work will focus on roof repairs and the repair and replacement of rainwater goods such as gutters and downpipes, which are in “poor condition”.