Glasgow SNP MSPs have slammed the ruling Labour group on Glasgow City Council for their decision today to proceed with the closure programme for up to 25 schools and nurseries. They also gave full support to the position taken by their SNP colleagues who make up the official opposition on Glasgow City Council.

Bob Doris MSP who has spoken out against the Labour Council's plans during a series of public meetings and protests across Glasgow said: "The Labour Party in Glasgow will rue this day. Labour set out to exclude parents and communities from day one. Labour are asking parents to use a six week window to come up with detailed alternative plans. That's ridiculous. Parents pay their Council Tax and expect councillors to listen to them and it is for council officials to come up with details of alternatives in partnership with parents.

"The fact that hundreds of parents are turning up at meetings and protests shows the anger and disgust they are feeling at Labour's savage closure programme. Glasgow SNP councillors rightly tried to call a halt to this today in order that a proper and meaningful pre-consultation could be started but sadly the Labour councillors refused. What does that say about the level of respect they have for parents and children in Glasgow?"

Sandra White MSP added: "The Labour group argue that they have a 6 week consultation period but that simply doesn’t give enough time to have any kind of meaningful consultation. Perhaps if it was one school we were talking about but it's 25 and it can't be done properly in the timescale."

And Bill Kidd MSP claimed that the consultation should have started long ago. He said: "A closure programme that is so extensive and has such a dramatic effect on people’s lives and on their communities, deserves better than a 6 week formal consultation. There should have been pre consultation meetings but instead this was sprung on the parents and now the Labour group seems intent on railroading it through, regardless.

And Bashir Ahmad MSP said that “communities across Glasgow feel ignored and let down”. He added that this time “the voters will not forgive Labour”.

Notes

Glasgow City Council met today to consider the proposed merger/closure programme. SNP councillors tabled the following amendment:

“Council believes that although there are concerns over the primary estate and may be scope for some rationalisation, the current proposals and timescales for consultation do not meet the expectations of parents, staff and the wider community for full and genuine consultation.

Given that the Leader of the Administration has publicly and repeatedly, stated that these proposals are not budget driven, Council agrees:

1. That the Education & Social Work PDS examine these proposals, including financial data, catchment areas and the impact of regeneration.

2. That staff, parents and the wider community are involved in a wide scale consultation which will return to the PDS before final consideration by a full Council to be held after the summer recess.”