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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Schools saved from closure threat | Schools saved from closure threat |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| More than 20 closure-threatened schools and nurseries in Edinburgh have been given a stay of execution after SNP councillors withdrew their support. | More than 20 closure-threatened schools and nurseries in Edinburgh have been given a stay of execution after SNP councillors withdrew their support. |
| Their Liberal Democrat coalition partners on Edinburgh City Council have now decided not to press ahead with the consultation on the closures. | Their Liberal Democrat coalition partners on Edinburgh City Council have now decided not to press ahead with the consultation on the closures. |
| It follows an announcement last month that 13 primary, three secondary schools and six nurseries could close. | It follows an announcement last month that 13 primary, three secondary schools and six nurseries could close. |
| The SNP members said they wanted to go "back to the drawing board". | |
| The threat to some of the capital's schools is likely to resurface but not until at least 2008. | |
| This news is of considerable regret to me and my political peers Marilyne MacLarenEdinburgh Council | |
| Steve Cardownie, the SNP group leader on the council and deputy leader of the authority, said too many schools had been named. | |
| He said: "We're not talking about the report coming back amended and then going back out again. | He said: "We're not talking about the report coming back amended and then going back out again. |
| "We want to go back to the drawing board and look at the situation afresh. | "We want to go back to the drawing board and look at the situation afresh. |
| "We have said this is not about savings and not about money, if that's the case the council can afford to take its time. | "We have said this is not about savings and not about money, if that's the case the council can afford to take its time. |
| Mr Cardownie added: "Our main concern is that what we've heard from parents and pupils shows they are lacking faith in the process and therefore they will have no faith in the outcome. | |
| "Some parents have been in contact with parents, attending meetings, and reporting back to us. Clearly the situation is untenable." | "Some parents have been in contact with parents, attending meetings, and reporting back to us. Clearly the situation is untenable." |
| Jenny Dawe, Edinburgh City Council leader, said that without the agreement of the full coalition there was no prospect of the current consultation being agreed at council. | |
| 'Modernisation programme' | |
| A report will go to the next full council meeting in September to formally terminate the current consultation process. | |
| She said: "This is very disappointing news. We entered into this process with a genuine motive to consult as widely as possible with families across Edinburgh. | |
| "We have already gathered a number of good ideas which could have led to a very open and honest debate. This could have produced some very creative solutions for education in Edinburgh." | |
| Marilyne MacLaren, convener for education, said: "This news is of considerable regret to me and my political peers. | |
| "We embarked on this modernisation programme to ensure that we provide every child in Edinburgh with a first class education. | |
| "Although I appreciate that people had difficulty with some of the detail of the proposals, there was considerable support for the rationale behind the proposals from the educational community. | |
| "This was the biggest consultation process the council has ever undertaken." | |
| Aud Noble, 40, a mother of two whose four-year-old daughter Kira attends closure threatened Westfield Court Nursery, said: "I am absolutely delighted that the SNP realised it would be political suicide to continue with these plans. | |
| "However, it is very important parents keep up the campaign because 2008 is just around the corner." |