Educational case made in great detail

Interesting editorial there (‘Opinion: Beginning to see the light?’ – SN 11/11/14). Actually, the educational case for amalgamating smaller schools into larger ones (wherever it’s geographically possible) is made in great detail by the council’s own experts, endorsed by Education Scotland, in the reports sent to the media before last week’s meeting. So you’re wrong there.

But you’re right to say there are also financial reasons for school amalgamations. These reasons are laid out in great detail in public documents for anyone who cares to read them. This council still spends more on education than on anything else. The suggestion that we’re somehow plotting to destroy our number one priority is a fantasy. Why would we?

I look forward to your next editorial, explaining exactly how the council can pay to keep all our schools open without reducing the staff and money available to each of them – and to other essential public services which currently receive a smaller portion of the budget. But perhaps the unofficial group of councillors that, since 14 May this year, has met in secret to determine the outcome of council meetings before they’ve heard rational arguments based on factual evidence, will beat you to it and come up with a convincing budget that you can put in the News section.

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Meanwhile, there are Lerwick councillors who have some explaining to do after their votes last week to reduce still further the resources available to the two crowded primary schools in the town. Presumably they understood what they were doing and can justify it. I’m sure the parent councils at Sound and Bell’s Brae will be receiving detailed explanations shortly from Councillors Peter Campbell and Michael Stout. They should make for fascinating reading.

Cllr. Jonathan Wills

Independent, Lerwick South

Town Hall

Lerwick