Ron Smith

Recently the main topic has been the Education cuts (or ‘efficiency savings’ as the jargon goes!). Ron worked at Hawick High School for 30 years, the later 18 as assistant headmaster, responsible among other things for liaison with the Primary schools. This also meant that he was closely involved with pupils who were transferring from Wilton’s Special Class into High School, and could then note their progress there. Reductions in DSM (Devolved School Management) budgets, and the threat of closure to Wilton Primary School’s pool, are therefore issues which cause him major concern.

At Council, Ron supported, along with fellow local councillors Zandra Elliot and Stuart Marshall, Davie Paterson’s amendment to the budget which would have seen around half a million pounds taken from reserves to support the schools, and reduce the impact of cuts. This move failed. However the drive for savings was reassessed. Hawick High School still has to make 2% cuts / savings amounting to £86557 (and this must impact on the service to be provided), but the local Primaries saw their position improve, with for example the planned saving of £14918 at Drumlanrig Primary becoming £8951, and £13428 at Trinity becoming £6983. At the smaller schools in Hawick & Hermitage ward, the amounts to be saved are proportionally smaller (but this was always said to be the original intention). At St Margaret’s RC Primary, £380 has to be saved, and at Roberton £181.

Ron has been consistently concerned that the amount which headteachers have been allowed to carry forward from year to the next has stood against them. To drain completely the budget for one financial year by the end of March would require commitments to be made by January, and this does not allow for the unexpected event in February or March. Also, headteachers have perhaps saved from their budgets towards particular projects, such as redecoration of the school, or re-equipping of classrooms, and this ability to manage their budget is being taken away from them. It has been said that, if they can carry forward a large amount of money, they obviously do not need that much in the first place!

It now seems likely that the pool at Wilton will reopen in mid-May and this is to be welcomed. This is very much part of a facility for the Special Class pupils at Wilton, and at Hawick High and for other identified children with particular special needs. The most important thing is to have this pool reopened to meet those needs. The facility is very specialised, and the plans for its reopening identify very specific improvements which are aimed at the needs of the disabled etc. The hoist, the Kiefer board and the general issue of the water temperature are more focused on the disabled. If other young children get to use Wilton Pool, for example to learn to swim, that’s great and is a bonus. Several voices are being heard calling for the pool to be available for a much wider range of children but let’s get it opened, and available as a therapy pool for those in most need and then take it from there.