Falkirk Council postponed its plan to cut free transport to Gaelic schools. Meeting requested by Bòrd na Gàidhlig.
Kenneth Lawrie is the chief executive. He said Bòrd na Gàidhlig contacted him wanting a meeting to talk about it; this happened earlier in the week. Bòrd na Gàidhlig promotes Gaelic, and Lawrie delayed the discussion because there was not enough time to meet first.
The plan was to stop free transport affecting future and current students. It targeted those in Gaelic education since primary one.
Laura Murtagh, an independent councillor, disagreed and felt the plan ignored students’ needs because no parents or pupils were consulted. She thinks it’s about kids’ futures, as the plan means no taxis after August to Cumbernauld or Stirling schools.
Primary students keep rides until primary seven, but no new pupils would get this benefit. Older students would lose transport too, and some students face their final year soon. Parents are upset by this change because they said public transport takes too long and has no direct route to Greenfaulds High.
Some families might move or change schools, meaning their children would lose friends and the curriculum they knew. Murtagh thinks this breaks children’s rights, citing the UNCRC, now Scots law, as kids thought they’d have transport until they finished. The report does not consider the children’s viewpoint, and Murtagh said they were not even asked.
The council spends a lot on taxis, costing £4368 per child, each year, and the council claims it cannot afford this much. Murtagh wants more finance details, noting that Falkirk spends £6,577 per primary student and £8,182 for each secondary student.
Falkirk pays nothing to other councils now, and Murtagh asked what it would cost if kids go to Falkirk schools again. She also noted the Scottish Languages Bill, aiming to protect Gaelic and Scots equally, but the report did not mention this. The chief executive said they will update the report after the meeting.