The residents of the Wyndford area of Maryhill were today (Tuesday) celebrating as the first turfs were being cut in a ceremony to mark the start of a family centre project on the site of the former St Gregory's Primary School. The site hosted a high-profile lock-in protest in the summer of 2009 as local parents, children and community activists occupied the Wyndford and St Gregory's primary schools following the closure announcements that swept across the city last year.

Mr Doris said: "This is a great day for Wyndford and a victory for community activism. Labour's schools closure programme which removed both of the area's primary schools last summer had the unintended consequence of uniting the community to fight against the general erosion of community facilities. Today is one victory for the local residents but the schooling issue has far from gone away.

"The SNP Scottish Government recently announced a funding package for an extra new primary school in Glasgow under the Scottish Futures Trust. I wrote to the Council to ask that they consider the overwhelming case for building a new school in Wyndford.

"The Council rejected my calls but whilst that particular opportunity is now lost, the Council have agreed to meet me to discuss the area's specific needs. The regeneration of that whole section of Maryhill will see a number of new homes and therefore new families moving into the area. The Council needs to plan and it needs to sort out its priorities, and that means prioritising Wyndford for future schools estate investment.

"I will be pushing the council on this matter, and asking that they conduct a full scale review of educational needs in the locality. Any impartial assessment should reveal the true extent of the damage caused by last year's ill-judged closure decision.

"The area has recently set up a community council and I will be supporting them all the way in fighting for not just a new school but for other vital community facilities."

Note:

Parliamentary Motion lodged today:

Welcoming St Gregory's Family Centre, Supporting Fight for New School S3M-05963 Bob Doris (Glasgow) (SNP):
That the Parliament applauds the victory for Maryhill residents as the first turfs were cut at a ceremony on 16 March 2010 to mark the development of the new family centre at the site of the former St Gregory's Primary School in Wyndford; believes that the family centre was secured for the area because of the high-profile and inspiring campaign by children, parents and the wider community against the closure of the Wyndford and St Gregory's schools in 2009; reaffirms its belief that Glasgow City Council's Labour administration was wrong to close these schools and that the consultation process was woefully inadequate and flawed; condemns the council for rejecting requests to bring schooling back to the Wyndford area under the Scottish Government's Scottish Futures Trust; considers that, given the extent of UK cuts now coming to Scotland, further investment in the schools estate will become increasingly difficult, and believes that the council should conduct an open and transparent educational provision planning exercise in the area to re-examine the area's educational needs and to ensure that Wyndford is prioritised for investment according to those needs.