The Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Bill, was passed by Parliament on 19 November 2009, and creates a new framework for consultation on school closures, and other major changes, that means educational issues must be taken into account.
The process will require to include consultation with pupils, staff, parents, parent councils and all other school users. There will be a mandatory six week term time consultation period. The Bill also requires full and detailed proposals to be provided at the start of a consultation and provides opportunities to challenge incomplete or inaccurate information.
For rural schools, councils will have to give full consideration to all viable alternatives, the impact on the community and the impact on travel arrangements, before consultation.
Finally an additional safeguard for school closures means Ministers will be able to call in decisions where they feel there have been serious flaws in the process.
Sandy Longmuir from the Scottish Rural Schools Network (SRSN) said
“SRSN is looking forward to seeing the Bill become law. We are already seeing some Local Authorities adopting its principles and this is leading to a greater understanding of the issues surrounding rural education. A number are currently engaging with parents and communities in line with the requirement in the Bill to look at alternatives to closure. This is leading to trust and cooperation where once there was none.
“Where schools do go to consultation on closure, the new robust consultation framework should ensure that all the relevant facts are aired leading to a greater understanding of the issues on all sides. We have always felt that the backstop of referral to the Minister in the case of a flawed consultation will be used infrequently as more open practices lead to better decision making.
“Taken as a whole, the new consultation procedures should ensure that parents, communities and elected members will be better informed, improve relationships with Local Authorities and provide a degree of external scrutiny to the process.”
