Letters / We can only spend the money once
Speech by the council’s political leader Gary Robinson, prepared for Thursday’s meeting of the full council.
I’d like to say that I’m astounded by some of the comments that have been made about me or attributed to me over the last week or so. Apparently I want to close schools with the kind of vigour more usually attributed to the Flea – I’ve even been to the Western Isles to learn how to do it.
I want to bulldoze Aith School into the ground, I’ve skived off from a public meeting and I’ve lied to my constituents to highlight just a few. I recall a previous chair of our Education and Families Committee being subjected to some fairly reprehensible personal attacks from people who might not have grasped all of the facts – that’s almost forgivable. What isn’t forgivable is when people who really ought to know better, who have the facts available to them, stoop to this level.
I’ve taken a principled stand on the Blueprint for Education recognising that the status quo isn’t a tenable position. As with any proposed consultation, it’s unwise for anyone in my position to take sides prior to the start of the process. How often have we heard that a consultation is “pointless” because “you’ve already decided?” I’ve been careful not to nail my colours to any mast – yet this has been interpreted in some quarters as acquiescence to school closures – it isn’t.
For a consultation to be worthwhile and meaningful, all of the options need to remain on the table. I’ve said previously that I don’t like what we’re faced with but we must step up to the plate as decision makers and deal with it. That’s the process, that’s our job. If we don’t do that we face going around in the ever-decreasing circles of councils past as the last of the reserves – our children’s inheritance – slips through our fingers.
I’ve heard it said in recent days that some people have “no faith” in the consultation process and they fear that minds are already made up. I’d like to point out that it’s not some in-house SIC consultation that we’ve just made up, it’s a statutory consultation provided for in law. This ensures that the final decision may not lie with us. If we can’t satisfy the minister that the final proposal we arrive at is credible he may call it in and throw it out if he sees fit to do so.
Don’t take my word for it, Lord Brailsford who may have been scathing in his criticism of the minister’s handling of school closures in the Western Isles, highlights in his report that the statutory consultation process under section 12(3)(a) of the 2010 Act must, I quote “give special regard to any viable alternatives to a closure proposal.” We will fully explore the alternatives – we have no choice.
I’ve heard a lot about our priorities of late – we must prioritise, we won’t accept the priorities of the last council, we must set our priorities. I agree but no matter how we prioritise or re-prioritise, review and assess, we can only spend the money once.
In the current year according to figures presented here today in our draft Medium Term Financial Plan, 37 per cent of our spending goes on children’s services – twice the amount spent on social care. By 2017, the same document if it’s adopted shows that 38.5 per cent of our much reduced but sustainable budget will go towards education – still twice the amount spent on social care. This plan summarises the views expressed by members through their collective manifestos, our induction process and the various seminars we’ve held. What does that indicate to you if it’s not this council setting its priorities?
It was mentioned at the Special Education & Families meeting last week that a significant number of school staff are on “temporary” contracts. It’s been confirmed that there are over 120 FTE school staff on such contracts. There’s over 440 FTE staff across the council on temporary contracts. A number of members have hinted subtly or none-too-subtly of late that we need to reduce our establishment. I’d argue that we need to start taking the decisions on services that would allow us to do that. Otherwise we’re left with a significant number of staff with little job security, unable to obtain mortgages or plan for the future. That isn’t good for them and it isn’t good for us as an organisation.
Let’s start today to do something about it – take the decision. It isn’t a decision to close schools; it’s the first step towards providing the best education we can afford for our children and providing the kind of certainty our pupils, parents and staff demand.
Gary Robinson
Councillor for Shetland West
Town Hall
Lerwick
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