A SENIOR West Fife councillor has described the possibility that two new Dunfermline high schools and a new campus for Fife College could be built under one roof as “alarming”.

Helen Law said indications are that the ‘super campus’, including replacements for St Columba’s and Woodmill, is one of the options to deal with West Fife’s schools crisis.

“I am continuing to feel really frustrated at not being able to progress new schools for Dunfermline and Inverkeithing,” she told the Press.

“There seems to be a number of implications of how money may be allocated and that is fairly alarming. My understanding is that there seems to be movement towards a super campus which I initially thought would mean two new schools and a college on one campus.

“I am really alarmed that there seems to be an implication that would be under one roof. That would be two secondary schools and one college under one roof. I certainly would not feel comfortable about that.

“Even the notion that it is being discussed – that would be thousands and thousands of students and staff in one place. If you think of 11- year-olds going there with such an age group. Theoretically, further education is 16 to 99.

“I know Levenmouth got a new school that merged two schools and some college facilities but not a whole college. Not a whole college the size of Fife College’s Halbeath campus.

"That may have been the right thing in that area but I am concerned about the implications of such a huge operation.”

Cllr Law said she was worried they would be put “over a barrel” to the “only game in town” scenario where money would only be provided for a joint facility.

“I think it is imperative we get the money for both the schools and the college – it is really quite disgraceful that the college has been de-prioritised in the way it has been.

“It is now some years that £90 million was promised at the same time as Falkirk College. They have their money and the work has started. Where is our £90m? How can that be promised and not delivered?

“With the schools, where is the match-funding for Dunfermline and Inverkeithing? We are really needing new schools.

"It is really quite desperate and very disappointing that we are still sitting here some years down the line and there is nothing concrete at the moment.

“Schools need to have their identities. We have got two schools sharing a campus and facilities in Oakley and that works really well.

"Replacements of Woodmill and St Columba’s, we could look at that model where two schools are on the same campus and perhaps share some facilities.

“These discussions would have to take place in great detail. There are some really good ideas to explore further.”

Fife Council’s head of service, Shelagh McLean, said they were working to develop proposals for the longer-term vision for secondary schooling across the Dunfermline and South West Fife area.

“Included within our capital programme is the indication that Inverkeithing, Woodmill and St Columba’s RC High Schools would be priorities for investment,” she said.

“As would be expected, we are considering all options, working to ensure that we can achieve as much as possible within the capital resources that might be available.

“Discussions will take place with all stakeholders when any proposals are identified, to ensure we get the best possible outcome for the area.”