Council fudge over school closure process

The Council was debating a motion from Cllr Martin Ford which said: Aberdeenshire Council will amend its Scheme of Delegation to delegate authority to its Education, Learning and Leisure Committee to make a formal recommendation for or against closure in respect of any proposal to permanently close a school.

The amendment to the motion voted through by the administration referred the matter of school closures to the Procedures Committee without expressing any view as to what changes should be considered.

The lack of any right for Aberdeenshire's Education, Learning and Leisure Committee to make a recommendation on school closures became apparent when the Council attempted to close Logie Coldstone school.

Cllr Martin Ford, who is a member of the Education, Learning and Leisure Committee, described the Council's position of excluding the education committee from any formal say on school closure proposals as 'indefensible'.

During the debate at full council, Cllr Ford stressed that his motion was put forward as a statement of principle. The Council's procedures were clearly wrong, he argued, and by passing the motion, the Council would be making a clear statement that it would change them.

Cllr Ford was seconded by Cllr Paul Johnston.

Cllr Ford dismissed as 'nonsense' the administration's argument that it was too difficult a decision to take at full council. He said: "My motion is a statement of principle. Far from being complicated, it's very simple. Is it right - essential, actually - that the Council's education committee has a formal say on whether to close a school? Clearly, 'Yes'. So the Council should say so - and say so today. The exact wording changes required can then be brought forward by officers for the Council's agreement."

Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Ford said: "Once again, the Council's administration have ducked a simple question - a proposal they should have been able to strongly endorse. Parents and others concerned about the future of our schools should have been given a clear statement that the Council accepted its procedures were wrong, and that the education committee would get to make a recommendation in any future consideration of whether to close a school. Instead, all we have is a decision not to make a decision."

Cllrs Ford and Johnston also tabled written questions relating to school closures for the full council meeting. In line with the Council's standing orders, these and the answers given were printed in the agenda. No debate is allowed on written questions and the answers given.

The questions and answers were:

From Councillor Ford to the Chair of the Education, Learning and Leisure Committee:

Q: Will Cllr Stroud confirm that the Council's administration will not be bringing forward any further proposals to close schools before next June, in line with the request from the education secretary?

A: No

From Councillor Ford to the Chair of the Education, Learning and Leisure Committee:

Q: Will the Council now await the outcome of national consideration of the delivery of rural education before consulting on criteria for deciding whether to scrutinise a school for possible closure?

A: No

From Councillor Johnston to the Chair of the Policy and Resources Committee:

Q: Will the Council Leader confirm that the budget for 2012/13 is to be revised following the announcement of a moratorium on school
closures by Michael Russell MSP Cabinet Secretary for Education and Life Long Learning?

A: Yes.

From Councillor Johnston to the Chair of the Policy and Resources Committee:

Q: What consultation process will the Council be following to identify public views on alternative ways of effecting the saving of £2 million previously planned to be achieved by closing primary schools?

A: A comprehensive one.

Commenting on the answers given, Cllr Paul Johnston said, "These answers amount to a two-fingered gesture from the Council to the education secretary."

ENDS

Contacts: Martin Ford 01224 790052, Paul Johnston 01651 851690