Robert Brown condemns Council group decision to support school closures

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 15th Apr 2009

The decision by the Labour Group on Glasgow City Council to uphold the primary school closure recommendations was described today by Glasgow MSP Robert Brown as "appalling and incomprehensible".

Robert Brown, himself a former Deputy Minister for Education and Young People, said:

"It is quite clear this was a rubber stamp operation from the beginning by the Labour administration, but it is still a total slap in the face for local communities who have campaigned so hard for their areas.

The Council's Single Outcome agreement with the Scottish Government - signed only last year - talks about 100% of parents and carers with access to high quality education and childcare within "buggy pushing distance of their home". Parents didn't realise they were being entered for the buggy pushing marathon!

I am particularly disappointed about the arrogant way in which the Wyndford and Cadder communities have been treated. In both cases there was a compromise solution available which would have guaranteed a community school with both a non-denominational and Catholic school presence. This appears not even to have been considered. It is totally mystifying that the Council have instead decided to rip the hearts out of these local communities."

S3M-03916 Robert Brown : School Closures by Glasgow City Council's Labour Administration-That the Parliament is appalled at the decision of Glasgow City Council's Labour administration to recommend the closure of 20 primary and nursery schools across the city and to disregard the views of local communities, particularly in Wyndford and Cadder, which continue to campaign so persuasively against the closures; notes the apparent abandonment by the council of the commitment in its single outcome agreement to provide parents and carers with access to high quality education and childcare within "buggy pushing distance" of their homes; recognises the need to reduce under-occupancy in city schools but considers that this should have been done on a basis that builds on local communities and retains a community school comprising both non-denominational and denominational traditions, and urges all councillors to support this approach at the council meeting on 23 April 2009.