Comment posted Muirfield Action Group lays bare derelict Angus Council case by Dr Douglas McKenzie.
A forensic demolition by Mr Ewan Smith. An exemplary exercise in how to marshal your arguments then use them to full effect.
Recent comments by Dr Douglas McKenzie
- Rustle with Russell
More utter rubbish from Lynda Henderson. Have you actually spoken to Bob Allen? Whoever told you the story sold you a pup and in your arrogance you cannot admit to be wrong so you make up this story that he was persuaded not to resign.Your position is completely untenable.
- Russell back in the bathtub, now trying to sink Keith Brown’s boat
I’m afraid you condemn yourself by your own words. I don’t think that anyone reading what you have written here and the language you have used would conclude anything other than that you have a deep dislike for Mr Russell and that dislike is leading you to basically lose all sense of either proportion or impartiality. It doesn’t matter how well (or otherwise) you know Mr Russell you are clearly exercised by your interpretation of his actions and it is leading you well beyond the pale in what I would consider fair comment.This vendetta against Mr Russell and the SNP is destroying FA’s credibility and I have to confess that I’m seriously considering whether or not to continue reading FA (which will cheer Malcolm up if nothing else). I for one am becoming increasingly disenchanted by the constant negativity and sheer nastiness that has crept into this blog. I say that with a lot more sorrow than anger because I think that FA could have been great and indeed still could but there has to be a degree of balance, civility and indeed humour. All we are getting here is bile and it is causing me heartburn.
- Russell back in the bathtub, now trying to sink Keith Brown’s boat
To be honest, this post clearly shows that you are speaking from your personal dislike of Mr Russell rather than an unbiased analysis of the man. Phrases such as “publicity hungry coward” are well beyond what is reasonable comment. - Russell back in the bathtub, now trying to sink Keith Brown’s boat
You don’t seem to understand the separation of a MSP’s duty to his or her constituency and their responsibilities as a Government Minister.Yet again, this is another instance where a member of the Government can do no right: speak up and be condemned as “desperate” or stay silent and be accused of not serving your constituents’ interests.
It is just as well that Mr Russell has broad shoulders!
- Atlantic Islands Centre for Luing: biggest investment in island’s history
Well done Luing – an inspiration to all of Argyll’s communities.
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A forensic demolition by Mr Ewan Smith. An exemplary exercise in how to marshal your arguments then use them to full effect.
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Quite a lot has been said about director of education Neil Logue and Education Committee Convener Peter Nield, but where are all the other Education councilors in this?
It’s as if they are just loitering on the sidelines somewhere with nothing to say, yet they are the elected representatives of the people of Angus (including children).
Are any supportive of or even part of the Action Group?
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Well said! It is high time that we heard from other Councillors. This whole business reflects very badly on the local authority.
Are other Councillors satisfied with the conduct of the Director of Education and Councillor Nield who appear to have no regard for either the reality of the situation or the views of the people who will be most affected by this ‘Council’ proposal.
“Leave no authority existing not responsible to the people.”
Thomas Jefferson
The local authority elections take place in May – we are all waiting and listening.
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Brilliant work Ewan, this must be the final nail in Neil Logue professional coffin. It’s such a shame you have had to devote so much of your personal time and effort into proving this mans dodging dealings for which he has being paid handsomely no doubt.
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The letter makes it absolutely clear that Angus Council have ignored the guidance which they claim to have relied on in their defence of the questions posed by Michael Russell. It is possibly worth adding that the guidance has a practical example (case study) of how the guidance should be implemented. It uses an electrical system which is at the end of its life expectancy which the Council want to replace….
“the wiring, although in satisfactory condition at that time, was noted as reaching the end of its expected life and was likely to deteriorate”.
What grading do you think this receives in the case study? A D? No. a C? No. In fact it is scored a B.
Compare this to the windows in Muirfield…
“As the framework is aluminium the actual condition of the screens and indeed the glazing could be deemed to be satisfactory. However, when comparing the glazing/ curtain-walling with its modern equivalent it would not be practical or economically sensible to upgrade it to a satisfactory standard”
Angus Council downgraded the surveyor’s B to a C while still stating that the current condition “could be deemed satisfactory”.
As the case study shows it is the condition which is important and not the life expectancy or the availability of a more modern design. In the case study the building was rewired and the condition went from a B to an A.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/03/12142801/6
Angus Council have surely now been undone by their own hubris. How on earth can the condition of building the Council effectively voted to demolish not be a “material consideration” in that decision?
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What a phenominal way to crush Angus Council’s new school proposal.
The whole thing is wrong on so many levels the list is endless. As I have said before the work that Ewan has put into this has been incredible and hundreds of parents inc myself are in his debt for fighting on our behalf.
Please Mr Russell let truth and honesty prevail and reject this proposal and if necesary make an example of a council that has had years of practise manipulating facts to get what they want instead of what the people want.
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Surely this time!
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Don’t feel any more need to comment on this article. I think the facts are there in black and white.
The one thing we would like to see is confirmation from the Scottish Government that they have verified our calculations and that they do in fact depict Muirfield as a B, not a C as has been reported by Angus Council in each of the documents used in support of its closure.
On another matter, it seems the road which has caused so much anxiety and controversy in this new school plan – The Westway – is about to get ANOTHER huge retailer on it, B&Q. If this is confirmed then even more traffic will be prevalent on that road.
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A thousand thanks to Ewan from parents. What an incredible amount of work Ewan has done in compiling such detailed evidence. Here is hoping it is enough for SG to reject the proposal.
Yesterday it was announced that the national debt had reached THREE TRILLION.
New schools where necessary are welcomed, but demolitioning and replacing schools such as Muirfield and Timmergreens is questionable. Many such schools may be adaptable and repairable. Yet there are plans to build even more schools, replacing existing schools, which may only require refurbishment, and some thought into adaptation.
From the above evidence, it would appear it has been made to make the condition of Muirfield and Timmergreens look far worse than they are, in order to merit having a new school approved. Naturally parents are initially going to think “great”, when offered a new school, but when going into the depth of inquiry as Ewan has, it becomes apparent that it will in fact not be beneficial to children’s education. HMIE noted this in their report. Looking at it in even more depth, it could be detrimental, because children may not have the same individual attention, which they enjoy at present. FOI show teaching staff will be cut, and is from where projected savings are expected to come. It is folly because the cost of a new school over a 25 year loan period will cost far more, or at best, break even. This is why Ewan and many others have been so persistent in opposing the new school proposal.
This is without even questioning the road safety aspect, and the dangerous congestion, which would be caused without sufficient parking /drop off points for nursery and primary school children, while heavy articulated lorries and buses would have to swerve to avoid parked cars. Only last week there was yet another accident involving two pedestrians, and that is without the added congestion of a new large school. Safety must come first.
The purse strings need to be tightened, otherwise the country will fall deeper and deeper into debt. Do we want to leave a legacy of debt to our children?
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Arbroath resident, most certainly not break even. The annual charge for borrowing the £8 million will be in excess of £700K per annum for at least the next 25 years. The savings from only heating and maintaining one building will be well under £200K. Even maximising class sizes and reducing teacher numbers will result in less than £225K per annum in savings. A net cost of £0.5million per year which must come out of the Council’s revenue budget. That is £0.5million less available to pay wages and maintain services in this time of austerity. More than just the parents and children of Arbroath are going to suffer in order to get this school built. Never mind, in the words of the multiple responder “As long as you call it Nield Primary, Councillor Nield has worked hard to get us this new school.’
In the words of F McClymont above… “Leave no authority existing not responsible to the people.”
Thomas Jefferson
“The local authority elections take place in May – we are all waiting and listening”.
It is to be very much hoped that the electorate do remember who it is that has “worked hard” to get us into this mess.
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Sorry in my haste and in my hatred of the word “demolish”, realised after I had posted the above comment, I had come away with the made up word of “demolitioning”!! It should of course be “demolishing”!! Demolition is the noun and demolish the verb. Sorry!!
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Thank you Sandy with your knowledge for pointing out those figures. I was aware that interest rates were high, but not to that extent. I remember reading the proposed heating saving and being surprised how little it was. It is sad that those who are in favour of a new school have not had these facts explained to them properly. Many parents are totally ignorant of the spending incurred in building a new school, or the cutbacks in teaching staff.
Yes it is hardly surprising that the national debt has reached THREE TRILLION and will be even higher if this over spending continues. It is the tax payer who will have to foot the bill.
Excellent summary by you Sandy. Also loved Dr McKenzie’s concise opening comment.
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Many parents in favour of the new school are still under the illusion that the money for the school is a grant and if it doesn’t go on the school it will be wasted, no idea where they got that from, it couldn’t have been the council cos they don’t tell lies. My eyes may or may not have rolled when typing that last bit.
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It was reported in yesterday’s Angus Courier that the heating system at Angus Council’s new building last week had not been working, describing it as “medieval conditions”, forcing some staff to work in their coats. Some say that it has not been working efficiently for some months, or that the temperature has been lowered. It has now been repaired.
How ironic when there is no fault at Muirfield!!
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hmmm yet they have no problem leaving other children in the same circumstances….
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Hopefully by this time tomorrow evening this flawed process will have been halted dead in its tracks.
Hopefully at the same time our children will have a secure and safe learning environment, that is not being pawed over by people that can’t even add their own ratings of a school correctly!
Hopefully at the same time the potential disgusting waste of tax payers money has been averted.
Looking forward to tomorrow, as surely the fantastic work that has been done will result in the only honest result from the Scottish Government being revealed.
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