Published: Wednesday, 4th June, 2008 12:00
Provost not responsible for school’s merger leak
By Nicola Findlay
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Provost Derek Stewart denies claims that he revealed the schools merger plans.
CLAIMS that Provost Derek Stewart leaked information on a possible merger of three Sauchie schools at a parent council meeting have been proved untrue.
As reported in the last week’s Advertiser, a cross party working group is examining the provision of education for three to 12-year-olds in Clackmannanshire over the next 10 years to come up with long term strategies.
One of the many options being considered by the working group is the possible merger of Craigbank, Fishcross and Deerpark Primaries along with Sauchie Nursery.
Some parents at Fishcross Primary said that first reports of the proposed merger were revealed at a parent council meeting and they also identified Mr Stewart as the source of the information.
However, Mr Stewart strenuously denied the claims and the Advertiser has learned that the parent council meeting at which he was accused of revealing the plans was before a meeting of the working group, meaning Mr Stewart couldn’t have been the source.
The Provost told the Advertiser that he was “absolutely devastated” that parents at Fishcross thought he had leaked information as he has a close affiliation with the school which has been built-up over many years.
He said, “Myself, as well as my brothers and my sister went to Fishcross and I have a very close affiliation with the school and the village as it was one of the first parts of my ward when I came into the council 20 years ago.
“I am extremely disappointed that my name has been linked with this as I have always had a good working relationship with the school board at Fishcross and I have also worked closely with Sauchie Community Group over the years.
“I have being going over and over this in my head and if I thought for one second I said something I would have gone back to Fishcross and personally apologised to the school, the children and to the parents.”
The working group was set up a year ago after the council brought in an independent consultant to look at the provision of education for three to 12-year-olds in Clackmannnanshire.
All options are being considered by the working group with the aim of giving the county’s children the best education possible.
A report will have to come before Clackmannanshire Council and a full public consultation will be undertaken well before any final decisions are made.
All the meetings of the working group have been confidential and will remain so until definite proposals are formed and Mr Stewart says he would never break this confidence.
“I have been in the council for 20 years and during this time I have never broken the code of conduct and I never would. I won’t even discuss the meetings at home,” said Mr Stewart.
He went on, “The council has a duty to look at their schools and we want to make sure that no matter what primary school a child goes to they get the same quality of education.
“The whole aim of the working group is to come up with the best policies to educate three to 12 year-olds and to take Clackmannanshire to the top as we have done with our secondary schools.
“People are very protective when it comes to their schools and, quite rightly so, they want to protect the system they have got.”
Mr Stewart added that all parties within the council had the same goal of providing a first class education for Clackmannanshire’s children and that the working group would use input from all parties to come up with the best possible solutions.
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