MP takes Mavisbank fight to Westminster

Gray protests in motion to Commons

Airdrie and Shotts MP Neil Gray has submitted an early day motion to the House of Commons about the staffing changes at Mavisbank School.

Last month we reported North Lanarkshire Council’s plan to replace five members of staff at the additional support needs school in changes council leader Jim Logue described as “for the better”.

The proposed changes have angered many parents of pupils at the Airdrie school and this week Mr Gray highlighted his own concerns in the motion to parliament.

It has received cross-party support and touches on several aspects of the changes which the MP believes make the move the wrong one.

Mr Gray claims the council has failed to address the concerns of families and points out more than 3000 people have signed a petition calling for the staffing changes to be abandoned.

He said: “We cannot allow the safety and care of these vulnerable children to be compromised in any way.

“In submitting this EDM I am hoping to highlight the issue and persuade both Councillor Jim Logue, leader of North Lanarkshire Council, and Paul Jukes, the council’s chief executive, to revisit their decision.

“The new assistants will need training to bring them up to speed with the way the school runs and the individual needs of the pupils.

“This all takes time and the disruption to the pupils’ routines could be extremely upsetting for them.

“The council has a responsibility to ensure that all children, regardless of their physical or mental abilities, reach their full potential and I will fight to hold North Lanarkshire to that.”

Speaking to the Advertiser last month, the council leader insisted the new posts created for Mavisbank would “allow for a focus on education and care”.

Mr Logue added: “People don’t like change but in this case change is for the better and I make no apology for that”.

Concerned Neil Gray MP