Euan Robson our MSP writes a column for the Berwickshire called, rather ugly, Mound of Information. This weeks is worth reproducing in full as it may be the final word on Hutton School-the fate of which is still unresolved by Scottish Ministers:
some time ago Scottish Borders Council voted to close Burnmouth and Hutton Primary Schools. The decision was quite narrow in the case of Burnmouth, but less so for Hutton and in both communities, the result came after a strenuous campaign by local residents and parents. Such decisions are rightly taken at local level, but consent has to be sought from Scottish Ministers, in practice the Minister for Education and Young People, in two circumstances. If the primary school is over five kilometres from the nearest alternative or it is over 80% full, consent must be sought. This process is sometimes regarded as a veto, but is in fact meant to be a check or balance in the system to ensure that the local education authority has acted properly in its consultation, deliberation and final decision. Ministers are not there to second guess a local position, but rather to ensure that the decision has been taken in an open, fair and reasonable manner. As constituency MSP for Berwickshire, but also the Deputy Education Minister, I have stood aside from the formal process and have communicated my constituents' views to Peter Peacock, my colleague in the Education Department. I have said to him that the vast majority of those to whom I have spoken about the closure proposals would infinitely prefer the two schools to remain open. However, nearly everyone also recognises that the current state of the two school buildings would need to be improved. Indeed, local residents in Hutton will recall that there were plans to upgrade the school and the children were a week away from a planned, temporary move when the Council withdrew the improvements plans. I have asked Peter Peacock to ensure that the advice of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education about the quality of the learning experience both in the present schools and at those to which the Council is proposing the transfer is given the fullest possible weight. It is obviously critical that transport arrangements for children to Chirnside, Swinton and Eyemouth Primary Schools is adequately efficient and effective. For some children the journey to and from the alternative school will add significantly to their day. I am not at all sure that making the younger children in particular travel long distances is a good idea. The other critical questions are whether there is space in the alternative schools and issues such as whether class sizes will rise and the pupil teacher ratio deteriorate. I understand that advice on the issue of the sustainability of the rural communities that will need schools is being sought from the Rural Development Department in the Scottish Executive and that this will form part of the consideration about consent. I do pay tribute to the staff at both schools for their professionalism during what has inevitably been a very difficult period. There has been some discussion about the declining rolls at both Burnmouth and Hutton Primary School. There is perhaps an important lesson to be drawn from the uncertainty of recent months, and indeed years as far as Hutton is concerned. Naturally, parents want the best for their children and it is no surprise that a number will have chosen different schools because of the continuing doubts over the future of the two schools. There is a lesson in all of this for the Council's Small Schools Policy. I trust that it will not lead to repeated speculation about the future of other schools leading to a self-fulfilling effect of declining rolls. Two final points perhaps need to be made. Some parents from Hutton have expressed an interest in sending their children to Swinton Primary School if closure does take place. It is apparently possible to do this, but the Council is seemingly unprepared to meet the transport costs. This does seem mean spirited particularly as such a concession could be limited to children already on the roll at Hutton and thus, the expenditure would only last for a given period of time. The Ministerial decision on consent needs to be taken soon as the present term is drawing to its close. I hope that it will indeed happen sooner rather than later.Indeed. A decision is very long overdue-and I may be over sensitive to Mr R's mood but I suspect he is preparing us for a thumbs down-after all he is the Deputy Minister and will have a very good idea of what is going on. Yes the Education people in the Borders are not being very helpful over transport to Swinton. This is a pity but I am afraid it has to be said that the way that some aspects of the Save Our School campaign has been conducted will not have won any friends amongst officials in Newtown St Boswells. Aggression and rhetoric has its place in the scheme of things but, not, I submit in a campaign which should aim to achieve success via reasoned argument and constructive debate.
