The next turn in the Arbroath superschool saga looks likely to be taken behind closed doors.
Following last week’s Scottish Government rejection of Angus Council’s £8 million proposal to replace Timmergreens and Muirfield primaries with a new-build school at Hospitalfield, a council meeting on Thursday could determine the way ahead for the local authority.
Among the questions to be answered are whether the council will mount a potentially costly legal challenge over the decision, but it has now emerged that the school report is set to be considered as an exempt agenda item, barring the public from sitting in on the debate.
A leading opposition councillor said the decision to put the report on green (private) paper showed contempt for the Angus public and claimed the handling of the school plan had left the council’s integrity ”hanging by a thread”.
Arbroath East and Lunan Nationalist Donald Morrison said he was astonished to learn that the options discussion would be held in camera after the council’s already stated intention to discuss the way forward in public.
”After repeated accusations directed at the Angus Alliance administration of lacking transparency and openness, this administration had a golden opportunity to at last redeem themselves,” Mr Morrison said.
”I find it incredible that instead they show even more contempt for the public by denying them their right to hear why the Alliance’s school project for the west side of Arbroath was rejected by the minister and the proposals being put to elected members.
”Councillors are the democratic voice of the people of Angus in the council chambers but yet we are barred from discussing the contents and recommendations publicly as it is on green paper, meaning on Thursday the public will be forced to leave the chamber.
”This is too important an issue to be held in private and, given that media reports have hinted at what will be discussed, what have the Angus Alliance got left to hide now from under their rock?
”After all, this administration has presided over a questionable online consultation and used it to progress their legacy project, they have altered surveyor’s scores on the condition of both schools and failed to record an audit trail of these changes. And, when challenged, they have resorted to petty personal attacks on members of the public.”
Mr Morrison added: ”This whole episode has severely damaged Angus Council’s reputation in the minds of the people. The council’s integrity is now hanging by a thread and, by denying citizens of Angus the right to listen to the debate, the public will cement their belief that members of the Angus Alliance cannot be trusted.
”I would urge those within the Alliance administration who still have a shred of conscience to allow this item to be heard in public.”
Since the rejection of the plan, the council has robustly defended its view that the Hospitalfield proposal is the best solution to address local issues of deteriorating buildings and under-occupied schools.
Angus education convener Peter Nield has also given a ringing endorsement to the officers involved in the process, including the property department which he has defended as ”open, accountable, transparent and accurate”.
The council regularly debates matters in private under rules which allow the inclusion of ”green paper” agenda items to avoid the disclosure of what it termed exempt information, including details of financial contracts or personnel matters.