The concerns of families told, with \u201cno consultation\u201d, that their rural nursery school would be shuttered have been heard in parliament.<\/p>\n
Glass Nursery, near Huntly, is one of four Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) centres set to be \u201cmothballed\u201d, in a decision announced by Aberdeenshire Council just a day before the Easter holidays.<\/p>\n
Villagers fighting to save Glass Nursery.<\/p>\n
The doors of the nursery are set to close on July 5, with its five children placed in second or third choice nurseries from August.<\/p>\n
A petition launched by members of the local community has garnered a total of 425 signatures.<\/p>\n
At Holyrood, Conservative MSP for Aberdeenshire West Alexander Burnett raised the concerns of parents, who had complained about \u201cpoor communication\u201d from council officers during the process which happened with \u201cno consultation\u201d.<\/p>\n
In response Minister for Children and Young People Natalie Don-Innes said Mr Burnett\u2019s account was \u201cvery concerning\u201d, but added that councils needed \u201cflexibility\u201d when making decisions on schools.<\/p>\n
In the chamber, Mr Burnett asked Minister for Children and Young People Natalie Don-Innes whether the Scottish Government would intervene if national guidance has not been followed.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo consultation has taken place with any of the communities affected, and parents are experiencing poor communication with council officers,\u201d Mr Burnett said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe also received the impact assessment \u2014 on which the decision for one of the nursery closures was approved \u2014 on April 30, over a month after they announced the closures on March 28.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo can the minister outline what action the Scottish Government will take to ensure that national mothballing guidance is followed, and what can parents do, when councils are not following their own processes?\u201d<\/p>\n
Minister for Children and Young People Natalie Don-Innes said: \u201cWe are reviewing the guidance to provide greater clarity on whether it is an appropriate action to take.<\/p>\n
\u201cI find what Mr. Burnett brings to me very concerning, and we do expect local authorities to consult with parents, carers and families to ensure that they are meeting local needs in relation to childcare.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnderstanding, of course, that there has to be some level of flexibility for local authorities in relation to managing their estate, prompted by, for example, changes to demographics.\u201d<\/p>\n
Also in line for mothballing are three other ELC centres: Crossroads near Crathes, Ballogie near Aboyne, and Sandhaven near Fraserburgh.<\/p>\n
Aberdeenshire Council guidance states that mothballing is a decision taken by the director of education and children\u2019s services, currently Laurence Findlay, when the pupil roll has fallen very low.<\/p>\n
Rules for the process were set out in the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 – to make it harder to close rural schools.<\/p>\n
However, in an interview with the Times Education Supplement, Mr Findlay said the law needed to be \u201crefreshed and modernised\u201d.<\/p>\n
The education and children\u2019s services director also argued that while Aberdeenshire Council is \u201cpassionate about rural education\u201d and wants there to be rural schools, \u201cjust not as many as there are now\u201d.<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cThe 2010 act is there, I guess, to protect rural education.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can\u2019t have people just going around closing schools willy-nilly – of course you can\u2019t.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I don\u2019t think it is protecting it at all.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are passionate about rural education: we want to have rural schools – just not as many as there are now.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want to make sure they are in the right places.\u201d<\/p>\n