Robert Brown: Better solution must be found for Hallside Primary

12.00.00am GMT Mon 22nd Feb 2010

The arrangements put in place by South Lanarkshire Council to deal with the overcrowding at Hallside Primary School have been described by Glasgow Liberal Democrat MSP Robert Brown as "totally ridiculous". Mr. Brown has been contacted by a number of concerned parents about the issue. He is asking for an urgent meeting with South Lanarkshire's Director of Education, Larry Forde.

Robert Brown said:

"The Council have never got on top of the situation at Hallside Primary School. From the day and hour, the current school was built, it was grossly inadequate to the enlarged needs of the new communities in Drumsagard.

In principle the location of the school is ideal for children in the area to walk to school, but I simply cannot understand why the Council did not look at school capacity issues properly when they gave planning permission for the developments at Drumsagard and the further houses at Newton Station. You cannot built over 2,000 new family houses without expecting rather a large number of children to require primary education in the area.

It is hugely unsatisfactory for the Council now to take emergency action as if the whole situation was some sort of unpredictable natural event which had nothing to do with them.

It is clear that the parents find the proposed arrangements entirely unsuitable to their children's needs - and I agree entirely with them. The Council must think again and come up with a better solution in Drumsagard which works for parents, children and staff."

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