Border Telegraph | News | SCALP protest at Caddonfoot

Wednesday, 20th August, 2008

Published: Wednesday, 12th September, 2007 15:07

SCALP protest at Caddonfoot

By Border Telegraph Newsroom

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PROTESTERS are prepared to raise their voices every week in calling for a new school in Clovenfords.

Around 100 parents took part in a demonstration outside Caddonfoot Primary School on Monday afternoon.

They are angry that Scottish Borders Council has decided to delay the building of a replacement for Caddonfoot Primary School.

A change to its six-school building programme means that the new facility planned for the village may not be completed until February 2011.

That’s too late, according to the protesters, who shouted: “What do we want? A new school! When do we want it? Now!”

To keep the pressure on SBC, campaigners have formed a new action group, SCALP (Secure Clovenfords Area Local Primary).

The organisation has pledged to protest at the school every Monday.

The initiative follows last week’s meeting in the village when councillors and education officials clashed over Clovenfords’ apparent fall down the priority list.

In October 2003, Caddonfoot was regarded as the school most in need of replacement.

Planning issues affected the scheme and another at Lauder and delays in the consultation process for Kingsland and Halyrude, both in Peebles, led to plans being altered.

In April 2005, new primary schools for Denholm and West Linton were added to the schedule.

The latest revision cuts little ice with Clovenfords parents, whose placards underline that a new school for the community has been promised 40 years ago.

Andrew Elliot and Catriona Bird failed in their attempt to obtain an interim interdict at Selkirk Sheriff Court to prevent SBC revising its primary school building schedule.

Addressing the gathering on the kerbside of the busy road, Mr Elliot said: “At last week’s meeting, Councillor Catriona Bhatia offered her scalp if the new school is not delivered by the current administration.

“Today, we launch an action group, SCALP — and it’s thanks to Councillor Bhatia for the great title.

“Councillors (David) Parker and Bhatia gave us great assurances that we would get our new school under the current administration, but, unfortunately, no one believes them.

“We are not going to go away and we will be here every Monday until we actually open a new school.”

The protest was supported by Christine Grahame MSP, who pledged to take SCALP’s case to the Scottish Parliament, and Councillor Gavin Logan, who said he and Councillor Bill Herd had been “profoundly disillusioned” by a lack of local consultation when the building programme was being revised.

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