Dundee City Council has been urged to make a joint application to the Scottish Government for extra funding to keep Menzieshill High School and its Young Mothers Unit (YMU) open.
The Labour group’s education spokesman, Laurie Bidwell, has written to education convener Stewart Hunter inviting him to ask ministers to allocate some of its reported £444 million underspend to Dundee to retain the school and the unit.
Councillor Bidwell said: “The mounting number of supporters for two online petitions about proposed changes at Menzieshill High School suggest that there is widespread disquiet in the community about what the council is proposing.
“The ‘stop the closure of Menzieshill High School’ online petition has been gathering signatures and comments from supporters who clearly are not convinced by the education director’s case for the closure of the school.
“Likewise, the petition to protect the Young Mothers Unit against the proposed budget cut of the post of principal teacher in charge from the SNP councillors, has also been growing very fast.”
He added: “I am also mindful that in the last financial year the Scottish Government underspent by £444 million which they are free to spend this year.”
Education convener Stewart Hunter responded: “As Councillor Bidwell is well aware the driver for the Menzieshill High School proposals is the falling roll at the school.
“The issue is not money I fail to see how additional money would increase the pupil roll.
“If Councillor Bidwell has a proposal that guarantees that the pupil roll at Menzieshill will increase then we are genuinely interested in hearing it.
“He will of course also be aware that there is no £444 million underspend, so quoting that does seem slightly disingenuous.
“If, however, he is not aware of this, may I suggest that he reads John Swinney’s letter to the Scotsman where he outlines the facts.
“Having already erred once on his public statements regarding budgetary matters I am confident that Councillor Bidwell wouldn’t want to err again and would want to withdraw that comment.”
He continued: “He (Councillor Bidwell) will be aware that it is our intention that the YMU moves to Baldragon irrespective of the decision on Menzieshill and indeed this was stated at the consultation meeting on Tuesday night at Harris, at which he was present.
“He will also be aware that it is not our intention to downgrade the YMU, but build on the excellent service that it has provided.
“I am sure that his use of the word downgraded was an unintentional error and he will correct that also.
“I look forward to hearing Councillor Bidwell’s proposals on how to increase the Menzieshill roll and these will be considered.”