Crunch meeting called as campaigners mobilise to save Mull campus proposal

Tomorrow night, parent council representatives from both Mull and Iona will gathering to agree a united statement to send to Argyll and Bute Council ahead of its meeting on Thursday, where councillors will decide on a  ’bombshell’ option that could see plans for a new campus scrapped in favour of a ’mend and make do’ option involving Tobermory High School.

Mull and Iona’s four elected ward councillors have also been asked to attend the crunch Tuesday meeting.

Last week, we reported how people on the two islands, including both community councils, were ’astonished’ when an option not to build a new campus was spotted within council budget papers.

Argyll and Bute Council secured Scottish Government funding last year to put towards such a project and news of its success had been welcomed. The ’mend and make do’ option had not been flagged up to either of the community councils or leading community groups prior to the report being published.

Finance director for Argyll and Bute Council Kirsty Flanagan later told concerned community councils in an email there was "insufficient time" to let them know. Her comment was described as ’unforgiveable’ and ’unacceptable’ by protestors.

As Thursday’s meeting approaches, islanders are mobilising and getting together to make their voices heard - irrelevant of where a new campus would be located.

The change.org petition says signing up to it matters because: "Our children, the next generation, are growing up in an era marked by rapid advancements and opportunities. However, they lack access to state-of-the-art educational facilities that can prepare them for this fast-paced world."

"Tobermory High School is the only category C school building in the Argyll & Bute district, the authority itself has described it as being "unfit".