Contact newsdesk on:  info@hebridesnews.co.uk

Classified adverts   I   Jobs                               

 Local Services     

 

Hebrides News

 

Sir,

 

 

It was with great disappointment that I heard the news that, after a lengthy debate in the council chambers resulting in a 15-15 tie, the Convenor’s casting vote meant that the decision of the council was to close Lionel Secondary school. However, neither the controversy nor the pain inflicted on the majority of people of Ness, stopped there.

 

One of the comments made by a councillor who decided to support the closure, Angus Campbell, can only be described as ‘kicking someone when they’re down.’

 

Leader Angus Campbell said his duty as a councillor was to do the best for pupils in the Western Isles. He pointed out that 75% of Lionel parents had made the decision themselves to move their children to the Nicolson Institute.

 

Letter: Council “manipulated” downfall of Lionel secondary school  

14 February 2015

One of the main duties of a councillor is to represent their constituency. It is also his duty to not mislead his constituents and the thousands of people who will have read that quote. This statistic is insulting, highly irresponsible and extremely hurtful to the parents of Lionel School pupils. It does not give a balanced and accurate description of the feelings of the Lionel/Ness community.

 

The statistic that Angus Campbell is using describes the current situation with S1 pupils from Ness. 5 out of 7 (71%) decided to go to the Nicolson Institute. If you were to look at the bigger picture and towards the future, Angus Campbell would see that this 75% (actually 71%) is a statistical anomaly.

 

The parent council sent out a questionnaire to parents and in the current P7, 12 out of 17 (71%) would have stayed in Lionel. In the current P6, 100% would have chosen to have stayed in Lionel.

 

Looking even further into the future, the nursery school is full to capacity and for the first time in years, an extra member of staff has been taken on.  To blame the parents for the low intake is a disgrace. The people to blame are the likes of yourself councillor Campbell, for creating uncertainty in the school by campaigning to remove the headteacher of the secondary school.

 

Moves such as this led parents to believe that the closure was  a formality but the people of Ness, the parent council, the facebook campaign and the 15 councillors have spoken,  and I hope you felt and heard that at the meeting. Like the well respected councillor Charlie Nicolson said: “Are you listening councillors?” I fear not.

 

Wednesday night’s decision leaves us with more questions than answers. The incoming councillor for Ness and the West Side was not allowed to vote because he had not started his post yet. Surely for a decision of this magnitude, his appointment should have been brought forward or the meeting delayed, so the people of Ness and the West Side could have had a full representation. This is the Comhairle manipulating outcomes to suit its own ends.  

 

There was further controversy when the Convenor, Norman A MacDonald, used his casting vote (in effect having 2 votes) to close the school.  It is a long standing and honourable tradition through private and public bodies in this country that where a casting vote is required for a matter to be resolved, the chairman casts his second vote for the status quo i.e. for Lionel School to remain open. Is it right that the final decision should come down to one person? After all, there were 30 people voting and 15 people were for and 15 people against closure. The people of Ness and the West Side smell foul play.

 

Angus Campbell, Angus McCormack and Catriona Stewart all claim to do what is best for the pupils in the Western Isles. I’m sure the other 12 would claim the same. They must be familiar with the Scottish Governments initiative GIRFEC (Getting It Right For Every Child), which all teachers are familiar with. It says that the wellbeing of children is at its heart. The wellbeing indicators are Safe, Healthy, Achieving, Nurtured, Active, Respected, Responsible and Included.

 

The teachers at the Nicolson Institute will aim to meet all of these, of course they will and I’m sure they do. This campaign is not a criticism of the Nicolson Institute, it’s a campaign to keep a good school open and to meet the needs of the people of Ness, some of whom live 28 miles away from Stornoway.  I would now politely ask the councillors to read page 24 of their consultation and read the views of the people that matter, the pupils of Lionel. They feel Safe, Healthy, Achieving, Nurtured, Active, Respected, Responsible and Included. This decision is about money, not about education.  Are you listening councillor?

 

DJ Smith

58 Whitehurst

Glasgow

 

Formerly Burnside House, Cross, Ness.