Buckie councillor demands end to ‘squabbling’ over fund for new Buckie Community High School
A councillor has branded an ongoing row regarding badly needed funding to replace a secondary school as “laughable”.
Earlier this week a spat erupted over plans to send a letter to the Scottish Government asking for more cash to fund a new Buckie Community High School (BCHS).
Tory Highlands and Islands MSP Tim Eagle and the party’s candidate for Banffshire and Buchan Coast seat Councillor James Adams condemned the SNP for refusing to sign the letter having originally supported the idea,
However, the SNP hit back saying the document had “effectively been weaponised” so it became an attack on the Scottish Government rather than a plea for co-operative working.
They added that “small” changes to the wording were refused.
It has seen has Buckie Independent councillor Neil McLennan condemn the spat as an “embarrassment”.
He said: ”The recent squabbling is laughable if it were not on such a serious matter - it is an embarrassment.
“Kids looking at this want a new school, not playground type arguing.
“Politicians must stop playground politics. The people of Buckie are sick to the back teeth of petty politics and no progress for their area.
“The SNP failed to deliver a new school for the children of Buckie before; now the Conservatives are failing in power again.
‘We need to be progressing the real issues that Moray faced when this council came to power after SNP rule. Time is running out for this Conservative administration now. The message from the Buckie bairns is clear - ‘Give us a new school’.”
Councillor McLennan went on to say that it was the latest example of “petty personality differences and political games” preventing progress for the people of Moray.
He continued: “A couple of years ago I presented a comprehensive, fully balanced budget which incorporated all political wishes and still delivered a new Buckie High out of available funds.
“Sadly personalities got the better it appears.
“Some want to bicker over a few pounds here or there on brown bin charges or score personal points, few have been able to put together full comprehensive and transformational budgets for Buckie or indeed for Moray. Those that do are shot down by naysayers who hold Moray back.”
He went on to state that he tried to table an amendment recently to build a new Buckie Community High School at a recent council meeting - offering what he termed a visionary green STEM (Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) campus for secondary children in Buckie.
However, this was not allowed to progress.
Councillor McLennan added: “the people of Moray can see what is going on and going on regularly.
“Voters and citizens speak to me about it all the time. They are fed up of politicians who fail Buckle, they are fed up of politicians who have failed Britain.’
On a positive note, he went on to say that along with the town’s other councillors - Councillor Sonya Warren and Councillor John Stuart - recently united in sending a letter backing seeking an innovative approach to funding a new school in Buckie..