News

Greens publish Union Terrace Gardens Statement

Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire Green Party has today published its 300-word statement for the Union Terrace Gardens referendum.

Shire Lib Dems attack City colleagues

Council fudge over school closure process

At last week's Aberdeenshire full council meeting (30 June), the Council's ruling Liberal Democrat/Conservative coalition refused to agree that the Council's education committee would be given a say on future school closures decisions, saying that the issue was 'too complicated'.

Council to debate principle of Education Committee involvement in school closure decisions

Aberdeenshire Council will be debating altering the process by which it decides whether to close a school at its meeting this Thursday (30 June).

Campaigners call for Trump better behaviour

Campaigners supporting the rights of home owners on Donald Trump's Menie estate are calling on the tycoon to give a commitment to better behaviour during his visit to Scotland starting tomorrow. Mr Trump has been in dispute with residents at Menie for more than four years because he wishes to acquire some of his neighbours' homes in order to include the additional land in his planned golf resort.

Questions probe Council position on school closures

Two Aberdeenshire councillors are seeking answers from their council over its school closures programme following the announcement of a moratorium on school closures by education secretary Mike Russell MSP.

Ford steps up pressure over school closure procedures

Democratic Independent councillor Martin Ford, a member of Aberdeenshire Council's Education, Learning and Leisure Committee has stepped up his campaign against the Council's poor decision-making procedures for deciding on school closures.

Councillor respondes to Governent Schools Intervention

Aberdeenshire Council needs to stop and reconsider its school closure policy following the moratorium on rural school closures announced by Education Secretary Michael Russell MSP. (Note 1)

More schools facing possible closure identified

Following questions from Democratic Independent councillor Martin Ford, Aberdeenshire Council has provided a list of eight further schools facing possible closure. The revelation follows Aberdeenshire councillors giving their support - on 19 May, at the Council's Education, Learning and Leisure Committee - to a policy on school closures that would see the Council bringing forward twenty-three schools for possible closure.

Change of procedures for School Closures under consideration by Aberdeenshire Council

It appears likely that Aberdeenshire Council will change its procedures to give a formal say on school closures to its Education, Learning and Leisure Committee. The move comes after pressure on the Council from Democratic Independent councillor Martin Ford.

Twenty-three schools in the frame as Aberdeenshire School Police Closure Policy announced.

Aberdeenshire councillors have given their support to a policy on school closures that would see the Council bringing forward twenty-three schools for possible closure. SNP, Liberal Democrat and Conservative councillors voted to make a £2 million saving through 'primary school rationalisation' on 25 November last year as part of Aberdeenshire Council's response to the cut in its Scottish Government funding and the Council Tax freeze. Since then, Democratic Independent councillor Martin Ford, a member of the Education, Learning and Leisure Committee, has been raising concerns that in the order of twenty schools would have to be closed to achieve savings on that scale. (Note 1)