The Troon Times

The following articles featuring the school have appeared in the local Troon paper.

Troon School a "JUNK SHOP"

A FORMER MSP who attended Marr College has hit out at the political wrangling that is threatening to turn the Troon school into a "junk shop".

Mike Russell, a former pupil of the school and former Ayrshire MSP, blasted South Ayrshire Council for neglecting the secondary, warning it will "crumble away" unless drastic action is taken.

And a local councillor has voiced concerns that council's all-or-nothing approach to the multi-million pound package of PPP rebuilds for local schools has left Marr in the wilderness.

Mr. Russell points to a catalogue of urgent repair work required at the Dundonald Road building, revealing that many rooms are overcrowded and in grave need of refurbishment.

The shock revelations have emerged through a new website set up by former Marr pupil Grahame Taylor, geared to lobbying South Ayrshire Council to focus funds and energies towards the dilapidated college.

On the site, Russell, who is standing for the leadership elections for the SNP, reveals how he was BARRED from the secondary for writing an article critical of the local authority.

He raged: "South Ayrshire Council just don't want to do the repairs, so hands are publicly wrung while the council makes sure it gets its collective way and some new trophy buildings courtesy of fashionable PPP, on which the builders will make a fat and continuing profit. It is the community that loses an irreplaceable asset."

"Perhaps it will just crumble away until the council says that there is literally nothing to be done - therefore justifying once more what it really wants to do."

"I suspect that many of those who teach in significant buildings would like the option of their renewal, rather than their destruction. So would communities, pupils and parents - in fact, all of those who know that you cannot build a better future by destroying the past. If only fad-struck councillors and Directors of Education knew that as well."

And he adds: "In 1999, I helped a group of parents and sixth year pupils protest at the downgrading of the PE department in the school. My actions were noted by the gualieters of South Ayrshire Council who quickly declared that I could never again visit the school even as one of Ayrshire's regional list MSPs. Instead, if I wished to speak to the rector, it had to be in the County Buildings, with an education department official present. My offence, given to me in writing, was that I had published an article 'critical of the council'."

Back in February, the Times revealed plans to build a new Marr College on the site of the current school grounds, with the council shelving £11 million plans to refurbish the secondary in favour of buying the adjoining playing fields.

Concerned pupils and a former teacher pointed to a catalogue of poor conditions, including a bullet-hole in one of the window panes in the science labs, water damage so bad that pupils' work is ruined when pinned to the walls, and inadequate toilet facilities for youngsters.

When we broke the story, the council adamantly denied they had any such proposals under consideration, but Mr. Russell remains convinced the local authority is letting the school fall to ruin.

His article, originally published in the Times Educational Supplement, continues: "Every available space is used - the present rector's office is the former medical room and the magnificently proportioned library under the dome is an overflow staff room, sprinkled with plastic chairs."

"Cruelest of all, the glorious granite mausoleum of an entrance hall resembles nothing more than a junk shop. Understandably, the Marr Trust, which still owns the building and the grounds, and which continues to give bursaries to pupils going to university, is nearly always at war with the present school regime over issues such as these."

Martyn McLaughlin 07/07/04

Ten Million Pounds Repair Bill

A TROON councillor has echoed concerns over the future of Marr College. Peter Convery, who is also a member of the Marr Trust board, puts the estimated cost of bringing Marr College up to scratch is around £10 million.

On the Marr College website, he puts across his view on the situation surrounding the college, revealing why school was not considered under the council's multi-million pound PPP package. He explained: "What has become increasingly clear is that the private sector companies who may be interested in a joint partnership have an overwhelming desire for new build rather than refurbishment of old, out of date school buildings."

"Given that part of the deal would involve them in the full repair and maintenance of any joint partnership building for the first 30 years, you can understand their reluctance to become involved in any project involving an old building."

"The point about all of this is that even if South Ayrshire Council owned the building, it would still be extremely unlikely that an outside company would wish to include Marr College in any future PPP bid." Councillor Convery adds: "In the short term, the latest Building Needs Assessment shows that the college needs substantial financial investment just to bring the fabric up to a reasonable standard. Something in the order of £10 million would not be unrealistic."

"The most worrying fact is that even if the council was to spend that kind of money on the building, the education suitability of the interior would still come in with a bottom of the table D rating."

"Given these facts, you can see why the council has to look at one of the options being the need to develop an exit strategy from the current site and go for a new build elsewhere. If they chose to go down this road, it will be on the basis of a longer-term strategy. There is no question of leaving this site either in the short or medium term."

He stressed that the most important issue to be resolved in ascertaining the future of the building is the relationship between the council and the Marr Trust, claiming they need to engage in more productive discussions.

Councillor Convery urged people to contact Tom Cairns, the Chief Executive of South Ayrshire Council, to express their point of view on the contentious issue, stressing: "Any debate has to involve the people of Troon. This is not only your school but it is also your heritage."

Councillor Convery attended a meeting of the Marr Trust Board on Tuesday, revealing that members were "extremely concerned" and "alarmed" at the condition of the school outlined in the Building Needs Assessment.

He said: "So far, there has been very little pressure on the council to upkeep the school. There's an urgent need for work to be done. We've realised it's reached a tipping point, and there could be serious health and safety concerns for staff and pupils."

"We have a duty to look after the school - at the end of the day, we are only custodians."

Martyn McLaughlin 07/07/04

A Building which inspired Generations

THE FORMER pupil of Marr College behind the website this week told the Times of his sadness at the deterioration of the Dundonald Road school.

Grahame Taylor launched www.marrcollege.co.uk to highlight the plight of the decaying building, and has been overcome with the responses of like minded former pupils.

More than 25,000 people logged on to the site last month, and Mr. Taylor believes interest is growing in the future of the college.

He explained: "The whole point of CK Marr's Trust was to offer children a better education, and it did. But now, because of political wrangling, it seems to be going against them."

"And until the people of Troon speak with their votes, nothing will happen."

Mr. Taylor, who visited the school in February, told of his sadness at the situation which has embroiled the historic school.

He said: "I can understand why local authorities want to embark on these PPP projects with only new builds, but frankly, it would be criminal for the school to be lost. Ayr's getting money, Kilmarnock's getting money, as is Irvine, but Troon's not getting its share. It's the kids that are being denied."

Mr. Taylor, who attended the school in the late 1950s, added: "When the council want to get rid of their buildings because they are in such poor condition, it's a sad indictment on their stewardship of the area's heritage."

Grahame, who now lives and works in Staffordshire, revealed: "Hundreds of people from around the world have emailed the website. Marr College is a building that has inspired people through the generations, it's not just another glass and steel building. Of course, the school consists of 22 acres of playing fields and the site of the building itself - it must be worth a king's ransom."

"We need to ensure that those who are charged with the responsibility of maintaining the structure live up to the obligations into which they freely entered in 1978."

Martyn McLaughlin 07/07/04

South Ayrshire Council Shelve Plans to Refurbish Marr College

A New Marr College could be erected on the site of the current school grounds.

South Ayrshire Council are to shelve £11 million plans to refurbish the school and are considering negotiating a deal to buy the nearby playing fields - even though the existing owners have refused to sell.

The move comes after concerned pupils and a former teacher at the Troon secondary hit out at conditions within the current building, revealing to the Times  that :

•  There is a BULLET-HOLE in one of the window panes in the science labs.

• Some pupils have NEVER used the toilet facilities in their time at the school

•  Water damage is so bad that pupils¹ work is RUINED when it is pinned on the walls.

One senior pupil, who did not wish to be named, said: "The situation at the school is a running joke among the pupils. There are holes and cracks all over the place and it's been like that since I was in first year. In the music corridor there are gaps between the window and the wall you can fit your hand through, and in my year's common room if you accidentally hit the roof tiles then water pours down."

He added: "In Mrs. Sharkey's English room one of the windows has been jammed open for years and it causes freezing draughts at this time of the year, especially if you're sitting at the desk next to it. One of the other windows is stuck shut and that's bad during the hot weather!"

"After you've been here a few years you tend not to notice any more faults or gaps and it just becomes normal, but I suppose if you stop and think about it, it's a bit embarrassing."

A former teacher at the school also revealed his fears, claiming the Dundonald Road school is not a fit learning environment. He said: "When I used to teach in room 28, I pinned pupils assignments and work up on the wall. But if I came in on a Monday after the weekend, the paperwork would be faded and the ink would be runny because of the damp and water damage to the wall."

"We're trying to instill a sense of pride and achievement for the children, but it's impossible to do that given the condition of the classrooms." He added: "When some of the pupils had to use the toilet facilities, which wasn't often, they had to go to the school janitor to ask for toilet paper. It's shocking, to be honest."

The 1930s school is so dilapidated that education bosses estimate £11.6 million is required to be spend on upgrading work as part of South Ayrshire Council's School Estate Management Plan, an ambitious document setting out the future of education in the area for the next 30 years.

However, at a recent high-profile meeting between the Director of education, Mike McCabe, and local Councillors, it emerged that the council are set to take a U-turn as even that sum would not bring Marr College into line with their vision of a 21st century school.

Troon Councillor Peter Convery revealed local politicians wouldn't stand for the Marr College facilities if they were based at council headquarters. He said: "We wouldn't tolerate the toilet facilities at Marr College if they were in County Buildings, I know that for certain! South Ayrshire Council are responsible for ensuring the building is watertight, and I feel for the staff and the pupils at the school, as there can be no doubt the teaching environment there is far from ideal.

"But the fact is, despite these problems, at our meeting it was made obvious that South Ayrshire Council are unlikely to spend £11 million on refurbishing a school that is not part of their long-term education strategy."

 Some 1,216 pupils are currently on the school roll - three times the number the school was originally designed for, and the council plan to exit their existing lease with Marr Trust, the owners of the building and land, and enter into fresh discussions about purchasing the playing fields to build a new state-of-the-art college - even though the lease has 34 years left to run and the members of the Marr Trust decided unanimously that the fields would not be sold off.

The future of secondary education in the town will be uncertain over the coming months as both parties claim they are waiting to hear from one other before progress can be made.

The Marr Trust offered the building for sale to the council - who spend £208,000 a year on its upkeep - back in 1996, but it was turned down. They also offered it to the old Strathclyde Regional Council back in 1975, when it too was rejected.

However, local Councillor Alistair Kerr lashed out at the present Marr Trust, claiming it is blocking improvements to the town's education, and pointed to a new PPP development as the way forward.

He said: "The Marr Trust are standing in the way of progress for the people of Troon and future generations of pupils. We would all like to see the very best for the young people of this town, and a new building seems the best way to go about it."

Commenting on the proposed £11.6 million upgrading work, he added: "Councils are notoriously poor at maintaining buildings - especially schools. The truth is, there are options for the authority to spend money which are more politically appealing. It is because of this I am strongly in favour of PPPs as they guarantee a good school for at least 30 years."

Councillor Convery revealed plans are afoot to purchase the playing fields. He said: "Unfortunately, there is very little land in Troon that would be adequate for a new school. The land north of Barassie, for example, has been reserved for a housing development. "I have been in talks with Mike McCabe, who believes the existing land around the school is desirable, and that the present building may be considered for a new use. In that scenario, South Ayrshire Council would work with the Marr Trust to work out a suitable deal." He added: "The Marr College school building, its history, heritage and location are important to Troon, and it is a very emotive subject and a big issue, but we want the best for our children."

A spokesman for the Marr Trust said: "We have had no effective negotiations with South Ayrshire Council regarding a new building for Marr College, we're waiting for word to see what they have in mind. The last we heard about this was in February of last year when the council approached us when they were drawing up their PPP package for schools in the area, but any progress that has been made since then is an internal issue for the council as we have not heard anything."

The Trust, which has three vacancies, are set to meet later this month. The plans come only a week after it was exclusively revealed by the Advertiser Series  that the new Ayr Grammar building is to be built on playing fields on the site of the Old Racecourse.

Reprinted from The Troon Times February 2004