Both the Press and Journal and the Northern Scot ran stories this week about the latest delays to the project.  However, more positive news is emerging.  At the end of the week there was a good meeting looking at the planning issues.  These have now been resolved – with the exception of the issues surrounding the peat.  However, even with this there is hope that progress can be made next week.  There is also encouraging news with the finance.  Discussions with Scottish Futures Trust seem to have come to agreement on the money they will be investing in the project.  The difficulties with ESA10 (European regulations) will also be discussed early next week.  A meeting of Moray Councillors is being organised so that they can approve the arrangements.  Then hopefully everything will be in place and we will be able to reach financial closure on 24 June.

Meanwhile, some of the Moray team are beginning to put together a presentation for Scottish Futures Trust.  On Wednesday 17th June we will be travelling to Edinburgh to give an update on the project.  We certainly hope by then that everything will be in place and we can announce a date for the cutting of the first turf.

Friday 22nd May was meant to be the day of “financial close” for the project.  The day by which the final costs would be agreed and contracts could be signed.  It did not happen.  There are still a few outstanding legal, planning and environmental details to be agreed.  However, the good news is that over the next few days there are a number of meetings planned when these issues can be resolved.  We also heard this week that a date in the middle of June has been agreed when a group from the Moray Council team will visit Edinburgh to give a presentation to Scottish Futures Trust about the plans and aspirations.  There are a number of people working exceptionally hard to pull the last details together.  We are not there yet, but we are getting there!

Earlier in the session, we had anticipated that EHS would be a building site during May.  Consequently the SQA exams were moved to Moray College.  Thanks to the support of the college staff, the hard work of the invigilators and EHS staff – along with the good will and sense of responsibility from the pupils – the exams arrangements are going very smoothly.  Sadly, there is still no sign of the school playing fields becoming a construction site.  Behind the scenes, the Moray Council team are working hard.  They have been in consultation with Scottish Futures Trust, but we are still waiting for final agreement from them (and the Scottish Government in relation to a particular item of European regulation) before we can go to the Council for final approval of costs.  There are also ongoing discussions about the removal of peat from the site – SEPA are involved here.  The technical and legal documents are being scrutinised by legal teams before anything can be signed.

There is a lot of hard work going on by the various teams.  Meanwhile, we look forward to the arrival of another skip so that we can continue tidying the current building.

The anticipated date for financial close is getting nearer.  If all is well, this is when Moray Council and the other parties to the development will be able to sign formal agreements.  Meanwhile, rumours have been heard that the old garages at the back of the school could be demolished within a couple of weeks.  This will be a very clear sign of progress that will allow site preparation for the new PE block.

One morning this week the office staff started to get excited as they spotted vans on the site of the new build.  Sadly these were not from Balfour Beatty, but from Moray Council.  The running pitch was being marked out on the grass.  With the delay to the start of the construction work, to the delight of the PE staff, we are hoping to squeeze in another sports day early in June.

However, there have been a couple of interesting meetings.  The first was the Parent Council on Wednesday evening.  The presentation on possible rezoning for the Elgin Primary Schools helped to re-emphasise the need for the larger building for EHS than had first been thought.  The schools in Elgin South will be very close to capacity next session.  In a few years these pupils will be in secondary bringing the EHS roll to over 800 pupils – quite a change from the current 570.

On Friday, there was a meeting with Moray Council, Greenwards Primary and Balfour Beatty about the work extending Edgar Road to allow access to the new school building from the north.  This will be particularly important for construction work.  Planning for this is now well under way and hopefully before the end of this month work may be started.