A high-level meeting was taking place today (Wednesday 2 September) between Scottish Government and representatives of NHS Western Isles and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar to discuss progress on the Barra and Vatersay Community Campus.

News that such a meeting was going to be held was revealed by NHS Western Isles chief executive Gordon Jamieson at the health board meeting last Thursday, when he was asked if there was any update on the much-delayed project.

He replied that a meeting had already taken place at government level involving himself and CnES chief executive Martin Joyce and said: “We’ve got a follow-up meeting next week in Glasgow or Edinburgh, where we really prefer to be face to face rather than on Teams with the officials”.

A spokesperson for NHS Western Isles and another for Comhairle nan Eilean Siar confirmed the meeting was taking place today.

A spokesperson for the Comhairle said: “Discussions at the meeting focussed on the progress of the project in relation to aspects of project governance, recent procurement exercises, funding mechanisms and in particular the funding of the pre-construction period in the short term and to financial close.

“The delivery of the Barra and Vatersay Community Campus project has been a long-standing priority for the Comhairle. The recent progress of the project and regular Scottish Government engagement on this matter is welcome.

“Comhairle nan Eilean Siar will provide an update on the project at the next series of committee meetings.”

The meeting involved “the project team” and the First Minister did not attend.

A spokesperson for NHS WI was unable to give detail on discussion points.

However, at last week’s health board meeting Mr Jamieson said government would be keen to see revised costs. He revealed costs were likely to have “risen quite significantly” from £89million and the design was now being revised.

Mr Jamieson also told the board he had discussed the project with First Minister John Swinney during his recent visit to the Isles and noted he was “very positive” about it.

In April this year, Scottish Government confirmed it would be responsible for the “majority” of capital funding for the campus, which is a long-awaited replacement for the hospital and school, as well as other facilities.

Confirmation of government involvement as a capital funder came after the project had been removed from the Learning Estate Investment Programme (LEIP) earlier in the year, due to difficulties with the funding model.

At the time it was reported the Comhairle would have borrowing difficulties under the LEIP funding programme, due to its model of funding via long-term revenue support.

The Barra and Vatersay Community Campus project was initially approved under the Learning Estate Investment Programme in 2019 but public acknowledgement that St Brendan’s Hospital in Barra needed to be replaced goes back 20 years.

There have been repeated delays and in June Donald MacKinnon MSP pressed the government on progress with the project, in a bid to prevent further slippage.

The First Minister is known to have taken a personal interest in the project and Mr Jamieson described him as having been “personally a driver for the reinstatement of the Barra and Vatersay community campus”.

With the project now back in a funding programme with Mr Swinney’s help, Gordon Jamieson said it had been good to have had the opportunity to discuss the facility with him recently.

Looking to today’s meeting, Mr Jamieson said: “I think what the government are really keen to see is a revised cost estimate and that is a priority for them at the moment, simply because everything in life has a cost”.

He said: “There’s no doubt that it will have risen quite significantly from the £89million that it was at the point that the project was spended by the Cabinet Secretary, so we’re just getting some clarity around the cost estimates.”

Mr Jamieson confirmed: “We’re reviewing the design.” That was due to the “very positive range” of services that would be involved, to see if any efficiencies could be made.

Mr Jamieson said of the project: “It’s gathering momentum. I think there’s still quite a drive from Mr Swinney to see that this project moves at pace. I think it’s fair to say that he would like to see it move faster than it’s currently moving but I can assure you that we’re on board with it.”

He confirmed: “It’s a three-year estimate build programme for when the programme does actually get off the ground. It will obviously be done in phases.”

Early works will include cabling, supply work and infrastructure. Some of the early work that is needed “will run to £3million or thereabouts”.

Mr Jamieson added: “We’re just pushing forward as fast as we can. It will eventually go in as a single business case to government and then government will assess it and it will be up to ministers to press the green or the red button.”