Boss denies threat to secure unit for troubled youngsters

The boss of an Angus secure accommodation unit for youngsters has moved to quash local rumours about the unit’s threatened closure.

Richard Murray, chief executive of Rossie school, near Montrose, said there was categorically no intention of closing the school.

Rossie, which has 30 beds for troubled youngsters, is run by a trust as an independent, self-contained unit, employing some 130 members of staff.

Placements are bought as required by the Scottish Government and local authorities for children across the country.

Mr Murray said: “We built new accommodation which opened in 2009 at substantial cost.

“We have had very favourable inspection reports and are considered an exemplar in the Curriculum for Excellence by Her Majesty’s Inspector of Education.

“We have been providing a service to the young people of Scotland since 1857 and have every expectation of continuing to do so.”

However Mr Murray confirmed that, for the first time in its history, Rossie will have to submit a tender in the near future for a framework contract for local authorities and the Scottish Government to use in purchasing secure places.

Mr Murray said: “If we are unsuccessful in that tender we may have to rationalise, like any other business.”

He refused to comment on the likelihood of job losses.

He said: “Obviously we are in a difficult economic climate at the moment, and social services, local councils and government departments have all been subject to significant cuts in their budgets.

“They are our customers, and we can expect that they may expect us to make savings.

“We will go through appropriate routes and consultation processes to do that if and when that arises.

“Certainly redundancies would not be something we would consider as a first option.”

The Scottish Government was yesterday unable to give a date when the tendering process would begin.

A spokesman said: “The future provision of secure care at a national level has been the subject of extensive discussions within a steering group established to bring together buyers and providers of secure accommodation.

“All providers of secure care are aware that a competitive tender to put in place a framework cont- ract for local authorities and the Scottish Government to use in purchasing secure places will be advertised very soon.

“It is therefore simply not appropriate for the Scottish Government to speculate on the future of Rossie or any other provider of secure care.”