Once again the Conservatives have forced the left of centre Labour Administration and the even more left Scottish National Party to confront the failures in public sector provision in the Ferries and the Schools.
It has been up to us to raise the debate on these issues which affect very many of our citizens.
The lack of a second vessel on the Arran service has led to huge disruption to visitors and residents alike over the last six weeks resulting in loss of business and loss of confidence in the tourist industry. This is down to the inability of the Scottish government to properly fund and organise the ferry service in the Clyde and the Hebrides. We have confronted them in a motion at the council with all the relevant facts and both Labour and SNP in the main tended to agree with us that Ferry provision is failing and we need to try to prevent a catastrophic decision of removing the ferry service from Ardrossan to Troon.
We also raised the distress, pressure and uncertainty felt by pupils by the failure of the Scottish Qualification Authority (SQA) to use the experience of last years exam shambles to adequately prepare for the award of qualifications this year. The SQA plans for this year have been constantly altering and pupils have become anxious and concerned by the changing plans for assessment and appeals So once again the Council has substantially agreed our motion to write to the Scottish Government to try to ensure Pupils are not disadvantaged by the uncertainties.
Councillor Tom Marshall Conservative group leader commented.
“The difficulties with the ferries and the schools are of the making of the Scottish Government alone and the blame for this lies fairly and squarely at their door and has nothing to do with Westminster which is their normal excuse for failure”
