Councillors clash over Thorn Primary vote

A row erupted in the Renfrewshire Council chambers as elected members traded blows over their commitment to replacing a primary school in Johnstone, writes Jack Thomson, Local Democracy Reporter.

The SNP administration’s budget, which included a further £4 million towards a new Thorn Primary School, passed after a fiery debate and subsequent vote.

The sum will be added to the £10m previously allocated to the project which missed out on funding from the Scottish Government’s learning estate investment programme in October.

Summing up the SNP budget, finance convener Councillor John Shaw took aim at the Labour group – claiming the opposition party“completely overlooked”a Thorn Primary newbuild in its counter-proposals.

He said:“Anybody voting for the Labour motion today is voting against a new Thorn Primary. Remember that, because we’ll be telling everybody.”

Emotions were running high as Councillor Iain McMillan, Labour group leader, could be heard telling Councillor Shaw that his party had“pulled this trick before”.

While Labour’s budget did not refer to Thorn Primary, it suggested council officers investigated funding options for a new Johnstone High School and report to the education and children’s services policy board by September.

Councillor Shaw, who represents Renfrew North and Braehead, said:“I’m not pulling any trick. It’s quite clear.

“There’s £4m in funding for Thorn Primary, which you’re going to vote against because you’re voting for a motion about a report on Johnstone High School – a report with no funding attached.”

Councillor McMillan, who represents Johnstone South and Elderslie, responded:“We were told, at the last education policy board, there would be a report coming to the next education policy board about Thorn Primary.

“We were content with that.

“The Labour group fully supports a new Thorn Primary. We are supporting our amendment. That doesn’t mean to say we disagree with every single thing that’s in the SNP’s.”

He later added:“People in Johnstone know that we support Thorn Primary School.

“The teachers, the staff and the kids know that we support Thorn Primary School, so I just want to reiterate it.”