A bid to kit out pupils in hooded tops so they could be “easily identified” on a school trip has been quashed by Perth and Kinross Council.
Members of the Perth Common Good Fund committee refused the application for £500 towards the clothing, after it was revealed they would mainly be used to locate the children while on the flight.
It was felt that, if they awarded Perth Grammar School the money for the hoodies, it would “set a precedent” for other schools to follow suit.
Finance officer Douglas Calderwood told councillors, “The reason we are recommending refusal is that the application is for the costs of clothing they wish all 42 pupils to wear when travelling by aeroplane. If they are sitting on an aeroplane they are easily identified because they are not going anywhere.
“Most schools have these hooded tops already and they are available for around £20. If the children are paying to go on a foreign trip, then £20 is not that much greater to add on to the cost.”
Mr Calderwood added that, while schools in Perth are able to apply for assistance from their local common good fund, others are not in the same position.
Councillor Willie Wilson supported this view, telling the committee he regularly sees Perth Academy pupils wearing similar tops for their sports involvement. He said they could also be used for any excursions and that it was up to the individual schools to supply such clothing.
While most agreed with the recommendation to refuse, Dave Scott fought to overturn the report. He claimed the tops could be re-used to get the best value for money from them. Although he proposed an amendment to approve the funding, he received no support from colleagues.
Other groups had more success with the committee including the Perth Safer Cities Initiative purse bell project.
An application for £280 to purchase 1000 more bells was warmly welcomed as councillors felt it raised awareness of sneak thieves. The latest stock will be shared between the Blind Society and the Letham Tuesday Club, among others.
In total the Perth common good fund committee awarded £5930 to several causes, including a £2200 interest-free, five-year loan to the Tayside and Fife archaeological committee.
Photo by Flickr user kellyhogaboom.