COUNCILLOR QUITS OVER COLLEGE ROW

Published 9 Sep 2009 14:07 0 Comments

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AN Independent councillor has resigned from East Renfrewshire Council's administration over the escalating row to build a Barrhead college.

Councillor Ralf Robertson, who represents Netherlee, Stamperland and Williamwood, handed in his notice to council leader Jim Fletcher last week.

East Renfrewshire Council has accepted his resignation. A council spokesman said: "Councillor Ralph Robertson has resigned from the administration. The council thanks him for the contribution he has made as a member of the administration and is pleased that he will carry on serving the people of his ward and of East Renfrewshire as a councillor."

It is believed that Mr Robertson was strongly opposed to the plans by the council to build a £14.5 million college in the town.

He said: "I have resigned from the administration but I will continue to work in East Renfrewshire as an Independent councillor."

Plans for a visionary college to plug Barrhead's skills gap are already having to be revised - because of a £2.5million funding shortfall.

Backers of the proposed East Renfrewshire College, have blamed inflation after the total cost of the project rose to £14.5m.

The college, viewed as a vital part of the town's £113m regeneration, aims to offer vocational courses to more than 3500 school-leavers and mature students.

But the Conservatives have already argued the college is unnecessary because Reid Kerr, Cardonald and Langside colleges are within travelling distance.

A joint statement issued by Conservative MSP, Jackson Carlaw, and Westminster candidate for East Renfrewshire, Richard Cook, said: "Conservatives do question if this is the right time to push ahead with an expensive capital project such as Barrhead College.

"Surely the council should be getting the basics right before proceeding with spending £14.5 million on such initiatives? Until that moment we would argue that plans for a new Barrhead College should be placed on the back-burner."

East Renfrewshire and East Lothian are the only council areas in Scotland without a college.

Original architect designs featured the college with a public library, a learning service base, a creche and a family centre, on a site beside the council's HQ in Main Street.

This article appeared in Barrhead News 09 Sep 09

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