Education / Parent council ‘willing and ready’ to work with SIC over Dunrossness future
DUNROSSNESS Parent Council says it is “willing and ready” to work with Shetland Islands Council to shape the future of the school, despite again accusing it of making “completely unacceptable failings” in its decision to demolish two school buildings.
Demolition work started on the two temporary buildings last week, despite repeated pleas from the group for work to be urgently halted.
It has accused the council of a catalogue of errors in its demolition plan, with the parent council preferring for the buildings to be repaired instead.
“There have been completely unacceptable failings in how this situation has been handled,” the parent council said in a statement.
“In the rushed and poorly evidenced business case, in the refusal to revisit a flawed recommendation when concerns were raised, in the acceleration of demolition against the wishes of the school community, and in the ongoing failure to answer legitimate planning questions.
“Pursuing investigation of those failings, and holding those responsible to account, is something we will absolutely continue to do.”
However, it has said it would be willing to work together with the council to shape the future of the school.
“Looking ahead, we are willing and ready to work productively with council officers and councillors to shape the next stage of work at Dunrossness,” it said.
The parent council repeated that it has “many serious concerns” about the work, though, adding that these “remain unanswered”.
It believes there are no clear, costed plans for the improvement works or how the future spaces will meet the needs of children, especially those with additional support needs.
It says there has been “no transparent account” of why repair was ruled out, and “no clarification of the serious planning query raised by multiple parents”.
This relates to the parent council’s public questioning of where the correct planning powers are being used for the demolition.
It added it has had no clarification on this from the SIC, “yet the works have continued”.
The parent council has said it would welcome “any genuine commitment” from Shetland Islands Council to improve the school – “and to involve parents properly in the process”.
“We will do everything we can to ensure that parents’ voices are not ignored again, and that the experiences of staff and pupils are central to any future decisions about the school estate and ASN provision,” it said.
Demolition started at the school last Monday, and the parent council said many parents had been left “extremely sad, angry and frustrated”.
“Watching the buildings come down has been deeply upsetting – not because we are clinging to the past, but because everyone in the school community knows how insufficient the current spaces already are for staff and pupils, and how worried we are about what comes next,” it said.
“This is of course an emotive topic, and our parent body cares deeply about the school, but the parent voice we have communicated is not simply an emotional reaction to losing familiar buildings.
“The council’s decision to accelerate demolition into term time has been extremely damaging, unsettling children and staff further and creating the contractual complexities which ultimately left councillors feeling they have fewer options for revisiting the decision.”
The parent council referred to comments from South Mainland councillor Bryan Peterson last week, saying they welcomed his remarks.
Speaking to Shetland News, Peterson said that pausing the construction had proved “more complex than many would think”.
He criticised the way the demolition news had been communicated to parents.
“A lot of discussion has taken place, but not always in ways that feel constructive or that create shared understanding,” Peterson said.
The parent council said it was pleased that elected members were openly acknowledging that “parents have not been heard”.
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