Schools row could go to Standards Commission

February 20, 2018 – The bitter row between the parents’ council of closure-threatened St Martin’s PS in Renton and the SNP administration at West Dunbartonshire Council has boiled over into a public spat about “lying”.

Community activist Drew MacEoghainn said that if Council leader Jonathon McColl (pictured right) does not retract alleged statements he made about never having been invited to a meeting and instructing a council officer to present parents with a single option for the future of the school then he will report him to the Standards Commission.

Mr MacEoghainn sent a letter to Cllr McColl with this message: “I am writing to give you an opportunity to retract your accusation that the parent council representatives from St Martins were ‘lying’.

“I have only stated exactly what I was told by the Head of Education, namely that the SNP instructed Laura Mason to bring forward an option to close St Martin’s and that this was the only option to be provided to St Martin’s parent council.

“My interpretation of the content of the meeting was replicated with parent councils of Renton, St Mary’s and Renton language unit and was further established as a fair assumption when the education department circulated a paper which contained only one option, that of closure.”

He further alleges that the council leader took it upon himself to accuse members of the council in front of an audience of around 40 people – “I find this an incredible way for the leader of the council to conduct himself.

“This is an accusation which I take very seriously coming from a person who currently holds such a position of power as you do.”

He added: “Renton has fought against any decision which we perceive as not being in the best interests of our village.

“This has resulted in us fighting closures of services in the village against both Labour and SNP administrations.”

It was wrong, he said, for school debate to become “personal”.

Mr MacEoghainn said that if the parents did not receive a public apology from the council leader then it was his intention to take the matter up with the Standard Commission.

Cllr McColl has been invited to comment countless times but refuses to speak to The Democrat.