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Schools u-turn leads to questions School closure proposal scrapped
(1 day later)
Plans to shut more than 20 schools and nurseries in Edinburgh are expected to be officially scrapped at an emergency session of Edinburgh City Council. Plans to shut more than 20 schools and nurseries in Edinburgh have been officially scrapped at an emergency session of Edinburgh City Council.
Nationalist members of the ruling Lib Dem/SNP coalition on the council withdrew support for the plans earlier this month. The meeting terminated the proposals which were unofficially ditched earlier this month.
Opposition councillors called the meeting, claiming the city is suffering from poor leadership. Opposition members said the plan had turned into a fiasco and claimed the city was suffering from poor leadership.
Lib Dems said the meeting was a waste of taxpayers' money. Council leaders dismissed that and said a new plan could surface next year.
The ruling coalition, which took over the city after May's elections, revealed in August that it had a hitlist of 22 schools including 13 primaries, three secondaries and six nurseries, plus four community centres. The Liberal Democrats had said the meeting was a waste of taxpayers' money.
The lack of leadership displayed by the Liberal-Democrats and SNP political groups over this whole issue has been breathtaking, and cannot go unchallenged Ewan AitkenLeader of the Labour GroupThe lack of leadership displayed by the Liberal-Democrats and SNP political groups over this whole issue has been breathtaking, and cannot go unchallenged Ewan AitkenLeader of the Labour Group
The ruling Lib Dem/ SNP coalition, which took over the city after May's elections, revealed in August that it had a hit list of 22 schools including 13 primaries, three secondaries and six nurseries, plus four community centres.
It said it wanted to concentrate children in a smaller number of high standard schools and ensure public money was used more efficiently.It said it wanted to concentrate children in a smaller number of high standard schools and ensure public money was used more efficiently.
The plans proved controversial and at the beginning of the month the SNP withdrew its backing, causing the proposals to collapse.The plans proved controversial and at the beginning of the month the SNP withdrew its backing, causing the proposals to collapse.
An emergency motion put forward by the opposition parties states that "the current coalition has not provided the required leadership for the City of Edinburgh Council to take forward the Children and Families Estate Review". An emergency motion put forward by the opposition parties stated that "the current coalition has not provided the required leadership for the City of Edinburgh Council to take forward the Children and Families Estate Review".
It seeks urgent clarification of the status of the coalition partnership following the broken agreement and how review of the schools estate can be "best managed". Power balance
It sought urgent clarification of the status of the coalition partnership following the broken agreement and how review of the schools estate could be "best managed".
Councillor Ewan Aitken, leader of the Labour Group, said: "The lack of leadership displayed by the Liberal-Democrats and SNP political groups over this whole issue has been breathtaking, and cannot go unchallenged."Councillor Ewan Aitken, leader of the Labour Group, said: "The lack of leadership displayed by the Liberal-Democrats and SNP political groups over this whole issue has been breathtaking, and cannot go unchallenged."
Labour, which controlled the council until May, had looked at shutting a raft of schools.Labour, which controlled the council until May, had looked at shutting a raft of schools.
The council's balance of power shifted after the election when Labour representation on the council was reduced from 30 to 15 councillors.The council's balance of power shifted after the election when Labour representation on the council was reduced from 30 to 15 councillors.
The Lib Dems won 17 seats while the SNP gained 12, the Conservatives 11 and the Greens three.The Lib Dems won 17 seats while the SNP gained 12, the Conservatives 11 and the Greens three.