Scottish National Party members on Edinburgh City Council pulled out ofa coalition on the schools closure programme with the majority LiberalDemocrats on 3 September. Consultations on closing down two of thenursery schools affected were due to begin that day. In all, six earlyyears settings and one third of full-time nursery places were underthreat (News, 6 September).
The council has confirmed that the current consultation process will beformally terminated at the next full council meeting later thismonth.
Campaigners warned that this was only a temporary respite. TinaWoolnough, chair of Parents in Partnership, said, 'The SNP are justsaying that the consultation process is a mess, not that they areagainst the closures. Now the Lib Dems are insisting their SNP partnersgo to their colleagues in the Scottish Parliament and ask for more moneyfor education.'
Mrs Woolnough said that some parents had already pulled their childrenout of the threatened schools for fear they would close - 'so it'sturned into a self-fulfilling prophecy.'
Council leader Jenny Dawe said, 'This is very disappointing news. Weentered into this process with a genuine motive to consult as widely aspossible with families across Edinburgh. We have already gathered anumber of good ideas, which could have led to a very open and honestdebate.
'This could have produced some very creative solutions for education inEdinburgh.'
Councillor Marilyne MacLaren, convener for Education and Children andFamilies, said, 'This was the biggest consultation process that the Cityof Edinburgh Council has ever undertaken. It included proposals for theclosure of schools, early years and community education centres. Thiswas to allow the Children and Families department to re-invest money inschools, centres and essential services for children, instead of runninghalf-empty deteriorating buildings.'