by Mary G » Tue Nov 02, 2010 7:10 pm
So John S identifies a fourth option:
4. They [SNP councillors] didn’t see the flawed (by their own admission) proposals, but still allowed them to go into the public domain, which is plain irresponsible.
But let’s be clear – that is still a choice. A conscious decision to allow ideas – however daft and dangerous – to be presented to the public as a Council proposal. A wholly reckless approach, and an abdication of responsibility.
Why reckless? Well, let's look at the damaging impact of the approach used by the SNP and independent ruling elite, not just on Southend, but across all of Argyll & Bute:
• Children are frightened and demoralised, and feel that their education is under threat.
• Recruitment of teachers becomes more difficult – would you apply for a job in a school that had the finger of closure pointed hanging over it? And even if hastily withdrawn, it does not look the most secure.
• The quality of staffing drops, because good staff leave to perceived safer jobs, and perhaps the only people to apply for vacancies are those who cannot get a job anywhere else – for good reason….
• House sales in the communities dip – because who wants to move to an area where the village school is closing, leading to vacant properties, with all loss of local revenue that involves.
• House values fall, as demand drops, so decreasing the wealth of local people.
• Communities feel let down and confidence declines, believing that their public bodies don’t want to sustain them, closing essential local community facilities.
• Other local facilities decline, with difficulties recruiting to posts like ministers and doctors, as highlighted by Deirdre.
• Families move away - to areas less under threat.
• Families choose not to move in to our remote and island communities – further reducing the numbers in these schools.
• Inward investment suffers – we know this because a big ‘sell’ in getting companies to move into an areas is the quality of local education, and if schools are closing that damages their confidence in our future.
Councillors need to take full responsibility for these terrible consequences. Because they are the direct result of their actions and inactions. They have undermined already fragile communities, instead of protecting and promoting them.
And are they happy about that? Is that what they wanted? Is that why they sought office?
