Argyll and Bute Council spent nearly £120,000 on legal fees over Mull school campus

Nearly £120,000 was spent by Argyll and Bute Council on its legal battle on the new Mull Campus, it has been revealed.

The authority will resume its plans for the new school campus in Tobermory after councillors agreed at a meeting in April.

In February, the Court of Session ruled in the council’s favour after a judicial review raised by parents who claimed that the council had failed to follow proper legal procedures.

The authority decided in March 2025 that a Tobermory South site was the preferred location for the new campus, with some parents expressing a wish for a more central location.

A freedom of information request by the Local Democracy Reporting Service has revealed that as of March 18, Argyll and Bute Council had spent £118,698 on legal fees during the process, in six separate payments.

The first was £4,638 to Brodies LLP for an invoice dated July 11, 2025, for “Reviewing petition and papers; preparing and issuing instructions to counsel; consulting with client and counsel on prospects of defending judicial review.”

Another invoice, dated three days later, was paid to Faculty Services Ltd for £7,550, for “Advocacy service – preparation and consideration of initial detailed papers. Consultation with clients, counsel and Brodies; initial research and case review.”

The next payment was to Brodies for an invoice dated September 10, 2025, for £17,608, with the description being: “Deadline for adjustments falls on September 18, procedural deadlines for documents on September 25.”

Faculty Services Ltd were then paid £39,950 for an invoice dated October 15, 2025. The description was: “Advocacy service – drafting affidavits. Reviewing council meetings – minutes and broadcasts. Preparing defence or answers. Drafting of revisals of pleadings/answers. Advise on productions. Preparing for substantive hearing.”

An invoice totalling £48,292 was raised by Brodies on November 10, 2025, for “Preparing adjusted pleadings, note of argument, statement of issues, marked-up productions, affidavits and list of authorities. Preparing for and attending procedural and substantive hearings” along with counsel and court dues.

A payment of £659 was also made to Brodies for an invoice dated March 13, for dealing with expenses.

The council said in its most recent update on May 5: “Work will now resume to establish a revised timeline to implement the council decision, taken in March 2025 to progress the outline business case.

“Subject to future approvals from the council and Scottish Government, the new campus is now projected to open in late 2030.

“Works will also progress to complete an outline business case, to be presented at a special council meeting in December.”

A previous freedom of information request by the Local Democracy Reporting Service last year also revealed that the council had spent nearly £75,000 on its fees for another legal challenge.

Its bill for the judicial hearing raised by Helensburgh Community Council relating to the town’s Waterfront site was £74,172 as of July 10, 2025. The review ruled in favour of the council four months later.