Blaxland High School P&C calls for land sale deal to be honoured

In 2007, the school secured an agreement to use the proceeds from the sale of surplus land at the school to upgrade existing facilities. Although the land wasn't sold until 2021, the P&C still wants the agreement to be honoured.

Blaxland High School P&C president Faithe Skinner wrote to NSW Education Minister Prue Car over the issue in September.

"We ask for your immediate attention to ensure that the 90 per cent of net proceeds from the sale of this land be forwarded to the school, as per the agreement made with the Minister in 2007," the letter states.

Blue Mountains MP Trish Doyle told the Gazette that Ms Car will visit the school "early next year".

"I have fully briefed the Department of Education and the Deputy Premier on Blaxland High P&C's concerns. They all know that I will fight to make sure our schools get their fair share of funding," said Ms Doyle.

The NSW Education Department has confirmed it is investigating the "requests by the Blaxland High School community about the need for infrastructure upgrades".

"We will continue to keep the community informed on the progress," a department spokesperson said.

The P&C also wrote to the former Coalition education minister, Sarah Mitchell, over the issue in March 2023.

In the letter to Ms Mitchell, the P&C referred to the 2007 agreement with then Labor education minister John Della Bosca to sell the surplus land "and for 90 per cent of the net proceeds to return to the school".

"This arrangement was fully supported by the community at Blaxland High School... on the basis the funds would be reinvested in Blaxland High School," the letter stated.

Already angry the matter has "proceeded very slowly", the P&C demanded that the agreement be honoured in the letter.

But Ms Doyle said the policy on land sales "changed under the former government, [and] the school was simply not told about the change".

"I am backing the P&C on this matter," she said.

"I think the school should be considered for more upgrades in future budgets in the first term of this new government, and that's what I'll be fighting for."

The P&C has called for a speedy resolution "as a priority".

Four school principals and four Blue Mountains MPs have come and gone since the land sale deal was first mooted as far back as 2005. Blaxland High School's principal at the time, Steve O'Kell, discussed the issue with the school's parent body, which unanimously supported the plan at a meeting in August 2005.

The Gazette understands the surplus land at the Coughlan Road school sold for $1.29 million.