INVESTMENT of over £300m in new schools and nurseries across the Kingdom has been included in Fife Council's joint administration budget plans.

Education committee convener, councillor Fay Sinclair, welcomed the proposed budget – which goes before councillors on Thursday.

“This capital budget sets out an ambitious plan for our school estate across Fife," she said. "This is a clear commitment to delivering new high school buildings and ensuring expanded capacity across nursery, primary and secondary sectors, which I hope will receive cross-party backing.

“As Education Convener, and also a local parent, I am delighted to see such a massive rise in the capital plan’s education investment to more than £373m. I can’t wait to start seeing real progress on delivering more the very best educational facilities for our young people in Fife.”

Among the new provision will be a nursery in Hill of Beath as part of a replacement for the village community centre.

Cllr Sinclair added: “The Council’s ability to deliver these ambitious plans is dependent on significant levels of additional capital funding from the Scottish Government, but this financial commitment will mean Fife Council is well placed to access our share of £1bn investment in education infrastructure announced by John Swinney last year."

Steady investment across the life of the Capital Plan will see a total of £91m invested in new primary schools, which includes developer contributions from new housing developments. This amount replaces the £5m previously allocated towards emerging pressures.

Early learning and childcare expansion will be funded by Scottish Government grants of £17.3m in the next two years to complete 40 new build, extended or refurbished nurseries to support the delivery of 1140 hours of early learning and childcare for all three and four year olds and eligible two year olds in Fife by 2020.

Total education funding for specific projects runs to more £329m across the life of the Capital Plan, with an additional £43.65m for ongoing maintenance of existing buildings and ICT upgrades.