Column by Jonathan McColl, leader of the opposition. 

The council’s been in recess for July and meetings resume this week. With the new session upon us it’s an opportunity for a fresh start. The leader of the council must now really take a cold hard look at his Educational Services convener.

During the EIS dispute, Labour had to be dragged kicking and screaming to the negotiating table and only after multiple strike days did they agree to speak to the trade unions.

After that debacle, the council leader actually stood up in council and told us that Councillor McGinty is the best Education convener the council has ever had.

For those who’ve been living on whatever planet the council leader’s good judgement’s been vacationing on for the past few years, here’s just some of the low points under the current Education regime.

Educational Services proposing a school be built on Posties Park. The council changing meeting times to allow Cllr McGinty to go to college (without even consulting anyone and causing lay members to be unable to attend some meetings of the Education committee due to the time changes).

Attempting to reduce the hours in the school day for primary pupils.

Implementing changes to high school departments despite trade unions warning them to do so would have a negative impact on pupils’ education; leading to multiple strike days and a work to rule. Refusing for months to meet with trade unions to discuss their concerns.

Cllr McGinty taking her child out of school for a holiday during school time while expecting other parents to obey the rules.

Failing to provide the required level of PE in our High Schools failing our children and giving West Dunbartonshire the lowest result in all of Scotland.

And to top it all off, when increasing the charges for breakfast clubs, Cllr McGinty telling the Education committee that she “made much more money” when she “lived on benefits” before she became a councillor so we shouldn’t worry about low income families being unable to afford the increases she was making.

In nine months’ time the people of West Dunbartonshire can vote for change.

From a vote winning point of view, Cllr McGinty is a gift to the SNP, and thanks to Cllr Rooney’s fanatical support, she’s the gift that keeps on giving.

But our communities and families cannot go another school term with Cllrs McGinty and Cllr Rooney at the helm. Enough is enough.