Judicial review plan
ANGUS Council’s convener of education, Peter Nield, was so confident of the case for a ‘superschool’ in Arbroath that as we went to press he planned to request at yesterday’s full council meeting a judicial review of Scottish education secretary Mike Russell’s reasons for calling in the project.
As reported in last week’s Arbroath Herald, the Scottish Government has vetoed proposals to replace both Timmergreens and Muirfield primary schools with a new facility adjacent to the Westway.
Councillor Nield said: “The Scottish Government Minister has accepted the two reasons for call in have been addressed. Indeed these were addressed in July of 2011 and are now no longer an issue for refusal. However, he asserts that the school condition report was not auditable and therefore not transparent. This is a completely different reason as to the two reasons for call in.
“No one in Angus Council questions officers and strongly scrutinises them more than I do and I have found no evidence to suggest that the property department and its surveyors have been anything other than open, accountable, transparent and accurate.”
Councillor Nield went on: “Angus Council is so confident that we are accountable that you will recall we opened this consultation to Audit Scotland, Tayside Police, the Fiscal Service and provided Mr Ewan Smith, of the Muirfield Action Group, with many thousands of pages of information that he asked for. Indeed Mr Smith has been asked to visit the education department and have explained to him all the processes involved. He has refused.
“Education in Angus is well run, all our schools are well managed and we have increasing attainment levels, highest school meal up take in mainland Scotland, reducing exclusions, nationally recognised Devolved School Management, Early Years provisions, and leading Curriculum for Excellence initiatives. We have much more successes both from individuals, schools and teachers but this is not about closing a well run school.
“This is about providing a better education provision for Arbroath and schools which have 21st century education capabilities and flexibility. Forfar, Carnoustie, Monifieth, Isla all have such schools, why not Arbroath?
“Muirfield was chosen for phase one because it is the worst condition school. Phase two (2014/16) will be the next worse condition and at the moment that does look like Warddykes but we will have to see at the time.”
Councillor Nield stressed: “The Minister has not in any way gone against the process used by Angus Council, the education case substantiated by Education Scotland, nor anything else that Mr Smith keeps quoting in the hope that he will indoctrinate his views into the listing public.
He explained: “What the Minister has said is he did not accept the survey report.
“Angus Council will be asked on Thursday for this to go to judicial review because we are so confident that we have been honest, open and accountable that we are willing to let the courts decide.
“If the officers have erred, which I do not believe they have, then we will deal with that. If not, then the Minister’s decision will be overturned.
“If people believe in true scrutiny then surely they will support this honest and open approach.”
Twitter: @Arbroath_Herald
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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Comments
There are 3 comments to this article
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philip180
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 01:26 PMDoesnt Peter Nield realise that the public dont want this School at the Westway its dangerous enough as it is think of the choas at 9am and 3.30pm everyday on one of Arbroaths main arteries is just plain lunacy.Find a suitable area somewhere else and build the School are spend the money on upgrading the two schools we have but in the interest of our children's safety and another wad of public money being wasted pursuing this madness WAKEN UP AND LISTEN.
FMcClymont
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 10:24 AMI was one of a large group of members of the public who were forced to leave the meeting when this issue was discussed on 9 February. Councillor Nield did not bother to reply to my email of 7 February in which I expressed concern that the issue was to be heard in public. I have sent four emails to Councilor Myles asking him to explain WHY the issue was to be discussed in secret - he has replied but he has not answered the question. In his email of 9 Feberuary at 13:51 (after the meeting and after the public had been asked to leave) he concludes with this alarming statement ; 'How the council wishes to proceed be it legally or otherwise has to be decided in private.' "Otherwise" - does he mean illegally? Is this the reason for the secrecy!?! The SERIOUS reality facing everyone in Angus is that we have a Council that does not want us to know what they are doing. Councillors have spent and continue to spend our money on this project. Councillor Nield wants to spend even more money on this 'project' by taking legal action in respect of the rejection of his proposal by the public and the Scottish Government. If he loses - he will have thrown away our money. It was for that reason that I attended the meeting to hear the reasons he is so committed to this flawed project. Frankly I am sick of how Councillor Nield is happy to shout his opinions in the press but is anxious to prevent the public from hearing facts within the democratic chamber. How dare he abuse his current position to bully the public in this manner.
ianmc
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 08:46 AMThe councillor Neild man clearly doesn't know when to quit. I guess he feels he has invested so much time in trying to gerrymander this decision his way for years that his ego simply can't let go and accept that he failed. As kids would say "Mr (because it soon will be plain old mister) Mr Nield you have been POWERED". Now is the time to try and regain some modicum of self respect and just go away. Instead the ego means more dragging out and no doubt more of OUT tax money spent on his vanity project. The sooner this man loses his seat as a councillor the better. He has through his actions on this brought the coincil into disrepute.
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