Council denies talks over ads in schools

Selling space to companies mooted

terms of anything else.

“We have been working with our schools and our headteachers [about] advertising, you know, sort of, within the school arena as well and whether that could bring additional income in.”

Since then Eileen Prior, executive director of Connect, formerly known as the Scottish Parent Teacher Council, has criticised the concept: “We are very concerned about this. Children are highly impressionable and we would ask whether this is appropriate as a whole-authority approach. Is it in the best interests of children?

“Schools are there to educate, not promote paid-for advertising campaigns. There are of course stringent legal requirements for advertising to children.

“At Connect, we offer guidance to schools and parent groups on sponsorship and advertising, urging caution and careful consideration.

“Adverts may run counter to a raft of national and local policies and strategies such as healthy eating, mental health and wellbeing, equalities, social and environmental awareness and more.

“Can the local authority guarantee that companies paying for advertising will comply with all of these?”

And Joanna Murphy, chair of the National Parent Forum of Scotland, added: “This is an unusual idea, creative thinking at its best, but I can’t see it proving popular with parents.

“Everywhere our children go nowadays they are bombarded with advertising, playing the haves against the have nots - surely school should be free of such intrusion?

“Advertising of initiatives like ‘apprenticeship.scot’ or ‘Play Talk Read’ could be considered but nothing of a commercial nature and most likely the legislation surrounding advertising to under 18s would effectively rule it out anyway.”

But a PKC spokesperson said this week: “During the meeting, where councillors were updated on the sponsorship of council assets, which includes adverts on roundabouts and fleet vehicles, the possibility of advertising in schools was mentioned. This has not been discussed with schools or explored in any detail, and purely mentioned as a possibility for further exploration.

“If this was to be considered further, it would only be after full risk assessments and consideration of all possible impacts and any restrictions which would need to be put in place.”