PPP deals cost Scots £22bn

Scots will have to pay a "phenomenal" £22.3bn over the next four decades to fund all the Public Private Partnership projects across the country - around £4500 for every Scot.

New figures released by the Scottish Executive have revealed the true cost of the 102 contracts for the privately built schools, prisons and hospitals which, in some cases, will be privately run.

The PPP statistics highlight the legacy of taxpayer debt the new SNP executive has inherited from the previous administration.

Professor Allyson Pollock, head of the Centre for International Public Health Policy at Edinburgh University, said: "This is a phenomenal amount of debt being incurred and stored up, not only for this generation but for future generations too. Others have noted the ways in which we are mortgaging our children's futures.



"The high costs of PFI squeezes expenditure on public services spending. In health, there is very good research evidence of the ways in which PFI drains money from public services and as a result services are cut and closed to pay the PFI charges and profits of the banks and shareholders."

A spokesman for the Scottish Labour Party said: "When you break it down it is good value for money."

From The herald

We get what we deserve...

The people of Bishopbriggs will get what they deserve after the elections in May.

Legislation states that when two schools amalgamate an election for a new school board should take place as soon as possible.

Almost NINE MONTHS later we are still waiting.

It also states that each candidate should produce UP TO 250 words presenting their case. Yet Ken Low produces more and that is accepted.

Read this site and then decide if these people are representing your interests....

I will not be updating it in the future - you get what you deserve....

Prisoners treated better than our children?

Dr Gordon Low wrote a letter to the Bishopbriggs Herald highlighting the way the Council have treated our children compared to how prisoners at Low Moss prison are treated.

During last year's public inquiry into the proposed new prison at Low Moss, Scottish Prison Service (SPS) were at pains to stress the urgency of building prisons to meet the rising prisoner population.
So it's a bit surprising now to find that they can manage quite happily for the next two years with one fewer prison. (Bishopbriggs Herald, 28th February)
But then, the SPS would tell us that they're seeking to accommodate twice the number of inmates in a state-of-the-art complex, complete with its own dedicated sports facilities and requiring the flexibility afforded by the utilisation of the whole available site.
So presumably the site has to be cleared before building work can begin, as trying to construct the new prison round the existing buildings would hopelessly compromise the design.
And of course, the SPS would probably consider it unreasonable to expect prisoners to have to live in a building site for two years.
Fair enough, perhaps. Yet it does seem just a bit ironic that the latter approach is exactly the construction methodology being employed by East Dunbartonshire Council to accommodate twice the school role at the new Bishopbriggs Academy, and with exactly the consequences the SPS are avoiding at Low Moss.
And that's before the council sells off part of the school site to the developers.
It wouldn't be good enough for the prisoners (and who would argue the point?) but apparently it's good enough for our school pupils.

Schools project to be sold off?

Schools contracts may be up for grabs in Amec sell-off.

It could be the first of many sell off by chief executive Samir Brikho, the Swedish-Lebanese businessman who runs the company.

Samir may sell businesses involved in building and facilities services and focus the company on core areas such as oil and gas, minerals and metals mining and the nuclear and wind energy industries.

He added that plans were already in place for significant cost savings.

Read the full story here in The Sunday Herald

Maybe they think the SNP will win in May...

School Board hang on by their teeth...

The School amalgamated in August 2006 the School Board act states that election for a new board should commence at that time.

NINE MONTHS later we could have that School Board. But they remain - backed by the council, who should have instigated the change, laid down in legislation - but they didn't. You can only ask yourself why after you've read this site.

Check the school web site for the 'latest' :-) information...

Completed ballot papers should be returned in the envelope provided, to the Head Teacher by 3.00pm on 23rd April, 2007.

Website

No minutes have been posted.....

You can download the Parental Involvement letter here

Just keeping you informed.

Site available as a Widget...

This site can now be downloaded as a Widget...

Keep up-to-date direct on your desktop, customise the look and information.

This free widget is available from Widgetbox

The number of viewers continue to rise and other sites have started to link here - thanks to everyone for their support.

Comment from and old pupil

Just found your blog and it's amazing.

I lived in the briggs and went to the High school and found the information here totally awesome!

Why are the parents letting this happen?

The new head and the council are like pals and the school move is a lib dem doing!

If Mr Waddell was in charge then this would not happen - maybe that's why the dumped him!

None are so blind as those that cannot see - selling off land and placing the school on the only land that was left as they use the old Thomas Muir for St Ninian's - are you people stupid?

The council then grant planning with loads of condition! Try to get an extension with one thing wrong and see the difference.

As for the school Board - were they appointed by the council? Looks like it to me. The co-chair works for them - how bad is that?

Great blog keep it up. I now live in the US but love my roots.

I cannot believe how stupid the people of Bishopbriggs are to let this happen under their noses.

Thanks James and power to your elbow.

Join the torchlight vigil

MSP Jean Turner is expected to attend the final torchlight vigil opposing plans to sell the so-called 'surplus' land at the still to be built Bishopbriggs Academy.

The following night Councillors will meet to decide the OUTLINE planning application for this land.

The vigil will start at 7 pm and last for around 20 minutes, on Wester Cleddens Road beside St Helen's PS.

Donald Macdonald
Chair
Woodhill Residents Group

Where were the Interim School Board?

Probably the most important meeting with regard to the new Bishopbriggs Academy took place in Tom Johnston House.

Where were the Interim School Board?

Only one member of the Board, Ken Low, attended and only to speak ON BEHALF of the developers.

As for the other members... Your guess is as good as mine - they were NOT at the meeting.

Over fifty members of the public did attend the council planning meeting.

It was important to them - was it important to the school board?

Join the fight to stop the sale of land.

From this Wednesday's Evening Times (page 19)

100 residents protest at the sell of the, so called, 'surplus' land at the Thomas Muir site. A bigger school on a smaller site that has over forty conditions before the work can start.

You can see the report here (copyright Newsquest 2007)

Ex- Celtic players Tommy Gallagher and Charlie Gallagher back fight to stop housing plan at school site.

It seems crazy to sell off school land and then to share a pitch

Join the school board... more information here

East Dunbartonshire officers are not fit for purpose?

Liberal Democrat supporter Alastair McPhee puts the question:

I am becoming extremely exasperated by the decisions that our Councillors have taken regarding the major changes in Bishopbriggs. Can they do a John Reid and argue that the East Dunbartonshire officers are not fit for purpose or are is it just that our team are consistently picking the wrong option?

This is in response to the Evening Times article (below) you can read his comments here

More from this blog...

FibDems Scottish Liberal Democrats - you can't trust them This is the proof!

"Lib Dem donor jailed for dishonesty" Read it here

Oh No Jo.... Again Read it here

Bus giant supports parents in school row

BUS giant First has joined forces with a group of parents fighting a decision to sell off school land as part of a closure plan.

Councillors have given the go-ahead to a controversial site for the new Bishopbriggs Academy on the outskirts of the town, despite huge concerns raised by parents.

© Newsquest 2007

The new school is to go on the site of the former Thomas Muir High School in Wester Cleddens Road, Woodhill.

But campaigners say some children will be forced to walk too far to get to the new school.

More from Evening Times

"Best value for the public purse" - John Morrison

From a report in this weeks Bishopbriggs Herald

Residents shook their heads in disgust and told some councillors to be 'ashamed of themselves', following the marathon meeting at Tom Johnston House last Wednesday evening.

Councillor Charles Kennedy proposed that a decision be held over for a month to take residents' views into consideration, but his amendment was kicked-out by 16 votes to seven.

Donald MacDonald said, "Setting the meeting up as a public hearing was no more than window dressing from the council to try and appease residents."

So what did the council leader, John Morrison have to say?

"The planning board has approved plans for a school that represent best value for the public purse."

"We have seized a once in a generation opportunity for the young people of East Dunbartonshire. They deserve no less."

Read the article here

Ask yourself this - If you had submitted plans to the council that required 46 conditions - just to be heard. Would YOU have been given approval? FOURTY SIX CONDITIONS - conditions that included the safety of children with the submission of a 'late' 'incomplete' travel plan?

Who's interests did the council have at heart? - the education of your children in the best possible school? Or the developers in a rush to get the project started by 'shoehorning' the building into a 'smaller' site on the 'only' space left while the old school was in 'use'. Then 'bolt on' sport facilities from local primary schools and selling off so called 'surplus' land.

Did they make their decisions on 'education' grounds? Or was it, as John Morrison said, best value for the public purse. The same purse that has just spent millions on a recycling shambles!

Morrison's Baby

The directors cut...



Or you can view it here

Stand for the Academy School Board

Elections will be held this March for a new Academy Board. All parents/guardians are entitled to stand.



Please ask your children to collect an application form from the school. It has to be completed and returned before the deadline of 3pm, Thursday March 1st.

Any parent/guardian can become a board member and it is worthwhile, you will be asked to attend meetings that help make decisions on your children's education.

Six vacancies exist and unless more than six parents apply NO elections will be held and those that apply will automatically become members.

HAVE YOUR SAY ON THE NEW ACADEMY AND THE EDUCATION OF YOUR CHILDREN - APPLY NOW.

The head teacher is NOT a member of the board, but should attend the meeting and make presentations to the board.

School PPP scheme a ‘catastrophe’ for pupils

Leading architect Malcolm Fraser has resigned from a Scottish Executive advisory panel over concerns that schools built using private finance could be damaging children.

Read the article here in the Sunday Herald

Sign the petition to save the "surplus' land

Please sign the Woodhill Residents petition to try and stop the developers selling the 'surplus' land on the Thomas Muir site.

Remember the promise that the Thomas Muir site was larger, Square etc.

Now it looks like the new school, that has to accommodate TWICE the number of pupils than the present school, will be built on a smaller site.

The promised sports improvement will have to be shared.

Read more here

If you want the children of Bishopbriggs to have the best school possible then sign the petition.

Stop the land sale and force the council and developers to use this land for education, as it is now.

You can sign here it only takes a minute.

Petition:
We the undersigned object to the idea of land being sold on the Thomas Muir Site, while pupils are forced to use nearby school playing fields, there is inadequate drop off facilities and the school may be built too close to the Torr Road houses.

Petition organised by Donald MacDonald

Bats are more important than your childrens safety

If bats are found on or around the site of the new Bishopbriggs Academy then developers CANNOT proceed until their future has been addressed.

Yet - a travel plan, that the council admit, does NOT meet requirements is NOT a matter that they decided could delay the new school.

Council leader, John Morrison, admitted that he had not, in his long history of sitting on the planning board, seen a submission that had so many conditions attached due to the inadequacies of the original plans.

Yet - he was happy to approve it!

It will now go to for approval to the Scottish Executive, objectors can put their case to them to reject this 'flawed' submission - last night approved by the Liberal Democrat run East Dunbartonshire Council.

Approved after six hour meeting

The building will go ahead, despite various concerns, that the council agreed with!

Including the admission that the school travel plan submitted was a shambles!

Councillor Morrison and his Lib Dem colleagues had no hesitation but to vote for approval despite the amendment proposal of a two week delay for the developers to submit updated plans.

Done deal...

Compromise - Bishopbriggs Academy and the PPP

The Academy was moved from it's intended site in the town centre on the promise of a better school not restricted by the site problems at the High School site.
Better sports provision and an improved design.
All the pupils would be moved to the High School and the site at Thomas Muir cleared with a new super school built.
No, site restrictions at Thomas Muir!

Lots of prime land at the High School site - just no good for a school - if you believe the Lib Dems

What has happened...

All our children are 'shoehorned' into Bishopbriggs High (1300 pupils) the school was built for less than a 1000.

Meanwhile the existing Thomas Muir School, that should have been demolished, is now being used by another school while they have a brand new school built on their 'cleared' site.

The promised sports provision is being 'shoehorned' onto the 'smaller site' plus 'bolted on' from two neighbouring Primary Schools (one across a main road).

The design of the school has to be 'shoehorned' into the only space left while the existing school is being used.

Amazingly, with all this known, the developers still believe there is 'surplus' land to be sold for profit at the Thomas Muir site.

The prime Bishopbriggs High School site will make them millions and Turnbull High will provide even more 'surplus' land to add to the windfall.

Ask yourself, if this is what the people of Bishopbriggs were sold when the Council decide to move the school for 'better educational' reasons.

Ask yourself, if the Interim School Board have keep you informed (their duty) of what has happened and taken 'your' advice?

Ask yourself, when May comes. you can then decide if this Council, who represent you, have done a good job!

Ask yourself, when the election for the new Academy School Board, that should have taken place in August 2006, if you want this board to continue.

Decide if I was wrong to tell you, from the start, that Bishopbriggs have compromised during a project where Bishopbriggs is the ONLY area to LOSE a school.

Comments welcome...