Cumbrae Community Council say the island feels ‘let down’ by North Ayrshire Council’s cabinet decision to axe the school bus service between Largs Pier and the soon to open new secondary school.
Concerned parents of Millport’s school children - and some of the school children themselves - attending an emergency summit on the controversial decision at the Garrison last Thursday.
The provision of this bus had been confirmed as recently as June of this year following extensive public consultation.
In a statement issued by Cumbrae Community Council, it read: “The meeting was attended by three of Millport’s four councillors (Alan Hill, Tom Marshall and Ian Murdoch) as well as Cllr. Todd Ferguson. Cllr. Alex Gallagher did not attend. and was a member of the seven member Cabinet which voted for the withdrawal of the bus service.
“There was complete agreement in the room that the council was acting in an unacceptable way, was showing a disregard for the parents and students from Millport as well as exhibiting an unacceptable degree of discrimination against those living on the island and the island’s school pupils.”
Cumbrae Community Council stated that ‘no account has been taken of the fact that the full journey to school involves every pupil travelling in excess of 6 miles and that it involves both bus (x2) and ferry travel and that there is no option for parents to utilise their cars for the drop off, as exists on the mainland’.
Members of Cumbrae Community Council have agreed to represent the community and will attend NAC’s Audit and Scrutiny Committee, along with Councillor Todd Ferguson, to make representation on the parents/students behalf.
If the Audit & Scrutiny Committee refers the matter back to the Cabinet then it will then have to be reported to the next meeting of the full Council on 28 February 2018 for a decision.
Concerned parents are encouraged to write to their MSPs, the Leader of the Council, Joe Cullinane and the Council’s Chief Executive, Elma Murray as well as e-mailing the CCC or posting in the CCC post box on the Garrison wall - near to the Premier Store, with any comments/views on the problems caused by this withdrawal.
Angie McCallum from Cumbrae Community Council said their major concerns centre around the knock on effects to the education of the pupils along with extremely important time and safety issues.