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  • Media articles - 08/04/2004

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    The Scotsman - Website

     

    Scottish councils raise taxes as they hoard millions

    Link to The Scotsman original article.

    The Peeblesshire News - Website

    Reproduced with kind permission from The Peeblesshire News.

    Parents step up fight in schools campaign

    Link to The Peeblesshire News website.

    LOCAL parents have raised the stakes in the campaign to keep open Midlothian's rural schools with a decision to appoint leading QC Paul Cullen, a former Solicitor-General, to advise on possible legal action if the Council decides to go ahead with its present plans for the reform of education facilities in the county.

    The parents believe that, without big changes to the proposals as they stand, there is a good chance of victory in a court battle.

    They already claim to have scored one point with the Council's decision to extend the consultation by two weeks to the end of the month while pressure on Education Minister Peter Peacock at Parliamentary Questions last Thursday has resulted in an announcement that guidelines on the closing of rural schools will need to be reviewed.

    It also appears that councillors have been taken aback by the strength of some of the opposition with Council Leader Adam Montgomery issuing a statement last Friday in which he defended the thinking behind the Council's plans

    "Our vision for education reflected in these proposals involves an integration of pre-school and primary education where children start in nursery and progress on-site to their primary school," he said.

    "Within our primaries we plan one and two stream schools supported by a school management system to ensure the education we provide for children is centred on their individual learning needs and is the best we can achieve."

    But he went on to admit that loyalties and local association were strong and there was opposition even from some "who have lambasted us for years about leaking roofs" with the main criticism coming from the parents of the children affected by the closures.

    Even those who were supporting the proposals were voicing fears for the future, concerns about the plans and the process, and the impact on children.

    "That is what the consultation programme is about," Councillor Montgomery continued, adding that criticism of some of the statements made in the original survey reports had been heard and that every school had been subjected to a re-survey "to ensure that when the Council is asked to come to a view in May, it is based on the very latest information available."

    Councillor Montgomery concluded: "We recognise that the proposals will have an impact on many generations of school pupils and that is why we are seeking the widest possible participation in the process."

    Councillor David Fletcher said that it was important to remember that the proposals that were now being discussed were the views of the officials.

    "These plans have not come from the Council or from the Cabinet," he said. "Donald McKay and his staff have done a first-class job in putting forward a reasoned case, as they see it, for changes to the pattern of primary education suitable for the 21st century.

    "It is then a matter for the politicians to make the political decision and I think that the strength of feeling from parents and others may result in some changes."

    Councillor Fletcher added that he would be backing a "moratorium" on school closures for at least a year and felt that the mass closure of all five rural schools was not a good idea.

    "Whatever the arguments, closing all five at once could be seen by some as social engineering," he said. "Many people have put forward the argument that if you are going to move children into refurbished or newly-built schools then it makes sense to refurbish or build first and move afterwards.

    "I think several of my colleagues are coming round to that way of thinking."

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    Last Updated : 07 August 2004