Confusion and exasperation were evident at the Education Committee last night. when the Committee were due to consider 'Item 3 Proposed Relocation of Law Nursery into Rosebank Primary School'.
The Education Convener, Councillor Liz Fordyce, curtly announced that the item had been withdrawn and immediately moved onto the next item on the agenda. She offered no word of explanation and declined to make any statement. Despite requests to the contrary from opposition councillors, the convener insisted on moving the meeting on and ruled out of order any intervention to bring the meeting back to this item.
This was a humiliating climb down by the SNP administration. But it was also an insult to the many parents and carers who have arrived to have their say in deputations to the Education Committee. Through her action, Convener Fordyce denied the democratic opportunity of these parents to address the Education Committee directly about their concerns about her flawed proposal to downgrade and move their nursery school to the Hilltown.
I think parents connected to Law Nursery and the valued nursery staff deserve an early statement from the SNP led Administration if not their Education Convener to clarify what happens next.
Any prolonged delay will lead to uncertainty. Whether the Law Nursery School will be on its current site in Lawside Road or downgraded to a nursery class and relocated over a mile away at Rosebank Primary School in August is of real importance to parents and ultimately the pre-school education of their children.
So Councillor Fordyce should officially make it clear that she has withdrawn her misguided plans for Law Nursery, not just withdrawn this item from the agenda of a meeting. She needs to make it clear that this is not just a pause while she and her SNP colleagues work out how to outwit parental opposition and get their way.
This was a humiliating climb down by the SNP administration. But it was also an insult to the many parents and carers who have arrived to have their say in deputations to the Education Committee. Through her action, Convener Fordyce denied the democratic opportunity of these parents to address the Education Committee directly about their concerns about her flawed proposal to downgrade and move their nursery school to the Hilltown.
I think parents connected to Law Nursery and the valued nursery staff deserve an early statement from the SNP led Administration if not their Education Convener to clarify what happens next.
Any prolonged delay will lead to uncertainty. Whether the Law Nursery School will be on its current site in Lawside Road or downgraded to a nursery class and relocated over a mile away at Rosebank Primary School in August is of real importance to parents and ultimately the pre-school education of their children.
So Councillor Fordyce should officially make it clear that she has withdrawn her misguided plans for Law Nursery, not just withdrawn this item from the agenda of a meeting. She needs to make it clear that this is not just a pause while she and her SNP colleagues work out how to outwit parental opposition and get their way.
But the Education Convener should be clear, the weight of public opinion councillors have encountered in support of Law Nursery School as it stands has been considerable. I don't think these parents will be put off by Liz Fordyce's political manoeuvring if she was only playing for time last night.
