Thursday, April 02, 2009

Music hath charms to soothe a savage breast. (Congreve)

The big match was scheduled to take place today in the council chamber; today we would get to the bottom of why the SNP/Lib.Dem. Cabal cut music tuition in schools in half, right? wrong I’m afraid. You see you can only have a match/contest if both sides turn up and today the SNP led administration didn’t show; they were there in body of course; minus their spines; but fled the scene after about 15 Mn's. cowering behind a procedural scam which they concocted to avoid having to defend their policy of cutting music provision in Renfrewshire Schools . The packed gallery was aghast at the crude cynicism displayed by Scotland’s bravehearts, make no mistake about it, these people are the lowest of the low when it comes to political chicanery.

The rules are that the motion must be moved and seconded which was done by Labour’s Jim Harte and Ian McMillan, any amendment must then be moved and then seconded, this was done by Cllr.Cameron SNP and Cllr. McCartin Lib.Dem. The rules are that at any time after this anyone can move “that the question be put” and if the Convener; in this case Cllr C Lawson SNP is satisfied that enough discussion/debate has taken place she can agree to the vote. Despite the fact that not one speaker out with the movers and seconders had had a chance to speak, she gave the go ahead and the SNP/Lib. Dems. won the vote and then slithered away, the meeting was over and the SNP had quite disgracefully stopped the debate taking place.

Ironically the man responsible for leading this ignominious retreat was none other than braveheart Bruce McFee, the self styled political bruiser and SNP tough guy, he was first to hide behind a procedural trick and ran away from the fight, he crept off “homeward tae think again” equally responsible I’m sad to say was Provost Celia Lawson SNP who is normally one of the few SNP members to show human tendencies, she could have prevented this and inexplicably she didn’t, I can only assume that she was sufficiently instructed by the fundie tendency, likewise Cllr. Derek Mackay, they both couldn’t get out quick enough and Mackay significantly didn’t say a word. “Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown Derek”, this was a victory for Brucie, watch yer back son.

These Philistine vandals have robbed Paisley children of the right to learn and enjoy music, think what this country would be like with these people holding an overall majority; the smell of burning books would be everywhere to the perpetual sound of pipes and drums playing, a nightmare scenario that doesn’t bear thinking about.

The worst Education Convener in living memory; Cllr. Cameron SNP remains defiant and stands by her statement that music students in Standard Grade and Higher will not be disadvantaged by the musical tuition being halved; because the provision for this level will remain the same. This is a cause for worry not just because it’s incredibly stupid but; because there is no one on her own side who can take her aside and say look for F***s sake you idiot “the child in the year before Standard Grade will; by the time he/she gets to S.G. have lost half a years tuition and, even worse; the child doing music in primary 6 will; by the time that he/she gets to S.G. have lost a possible 3 years tuition. It’s not a great idea therefore to say they won’t be disadvantaged now is it? None of them are prepared to say anything, what is going on? can they all be that stupid or are they all feart from her.

Anyway the matter will not rest there; we will continue to pursue this and strive to get the children of Renfrewshire back their entitlement to proper music tuition, one music expert reckoned that deciding to destroy a music tradition is easy and quick, building it back up is a momentous struggle, we must not allow the SNP/ Lib. Dems. to get away with this, I urge people to complain to their councillors particularly if they are SNP/Lib.Dems. Let them know how you feel about this despicable and small minded act of educational vandalism.

29 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'll have you know Councillor Cameron is exceedingly talented, apparently she is excellent at the fiddle. So good that her talent will be shared with her public soon. That will be music to many peoples ears.

Anonymous said...

"
These Philistine vandals have robbed Paisley children of the right to learn and enjoy music, think what this country would be like with these people holding an overall majority; the smell of burning books would be everywhere to the perpetual sound of pipes and drums playing, a nightmare scenario that doesn’t bear thinking about."

You are a clown!

James Walls said...

Who do the SNP think they are fooling? Cuts in School Music Lessons is their latest attempt to pick on the weakest members of the community. Libraries, Nurseries, Day Centres, Schools and now this. They should be looking much nearer home and reducing the absenteeism/staff levels, instead they give huge pay hikes to the Snr Council Officers in their Ivory Towers at Cotton Street.
As for Paisley Town Centre let's allow traffic through the High Street again -what a Great Idea!
That's so you can count the number of empty shops as you drive by.

I am ashamed to say I voted SNP at the last elections but NEVER again.
The local electorate will not forget.....

Anonymous said...

MTerry the snp/lib.dems seem intent on destroying education in renfrewshire, first they closed libraries then it was the south school and nursery schools. Now they are robbing the pupils of music tuition. what or who will they come after next in education? Big tough Bruce and little Brian stabbed pupils, teachers, parents and indeed future pupils in the back. Yesterdays meeting, which I attended, was a disgrace to democracy. The SNP/LIB DEMS are a disgrace to Renfrewshire.

Cllr Terry Kelly said...

(Anonymous) 02/04/09
Cllr. Cameron for all I know could have many talents but, alas; being convener of education is not one of them, people are worrying about what educational facilities she will have left standing by the time she goes.

Cllr Terry Kelly said...

Do you have anything to say about cuts to music tuition by the SNP?

Anonymous said...

Terry I dont know if you have seen the letter tha was supposed to have been from Lorraine Cameron in todays Express. Well as you have probably guessed that wasnt written by her, I work in the council and the letter in the paper was put in by ourselves to replace Councillor Camerons letter. I have sneaked out a copy of her letter exclusively for you and you can see why we had to replace it:

Youse yins ur wrang. We huvny enough money left cos us cooncillors huv hudty tae take extra money withoot tellin youse. Sum of us his three hooses tae keep yin know and we didnae know things were gonnae get intae a receshion thingwy. As long as we ur awrite who gives a toss aboot youse. Us yins know mair than youse yins.

Lorraine Cameron
Up Youse


Council Mole

Anonymous said...

"I'll have you know Councillor Cameron is exceedingly talented, apparently she is excellent at the fiddle"

shouldn't that be 'on' the fiddle if it was written by someone who achieved basic English and was trying to be clever. what you posted was clearly a smear that she is fiddling money you moron. you are rolling about in the same filth that Vassie and Mack enjoyed.

Wasn't she a family friend many moons ago?

Cllr Terry Kelly said...

(James Walls) 03/04/09

The SNP have just taken a decision which will damage the prospects of children in Renfrewshire.

On top of a draconian; savage cut of £9.2 M. from the education budget in less than 2 years they now target the teaching of music.

The council offers Standard Grade and Higher Music as exam subjects and then deliberately damages the prospects of the candidates who want to take the subjects by halving tuition. There is no difference between this and saying, we offer S.G. and Higher English and Maths but you will now go in to these exams in future with the education periods cut in half, I think you have to have a particularly strong streak of arrogance and malice to do such a thing to young people and the SNP/Lib. Dem. cabal have plenty of these qualities.

Cllr Terry Kelly said...

At this meeting we saw the real character of the SNP/Lib. Dem. Cllrs. epitomised by the cringing cowardice of the self styled SNP tough Guy McFee; his crass; deceitful trickery denied the packed chamber a proper debate on the music tuition cuts.

A big talking coward who did not have the courage to argue his case in public, he ran away and hid, there were plenty of witnesses though and he will pay for the damage that he and this administration are doing to Renfrewshire’s Schoolchildren.

Cllr Terry Kelly said...

Cllr. Cameron has her own way of talking as do we all; I doubt if I would get a job as a news reader myself but yes it can be funny.

I keep hearing these references to Cllr. Cameron having 3 houses but, I have no idea what it’s about, no doubt if it’s true it will eventually become common knowledge, I’m not aware of any law which states that you can’t own more than one house. When I knew her and her family in Glenburn she had one house like the rest of us and it seemed perfectly adequate for her needs, anyway I’m far more concerned about the damage she is doing to Renfrewshire’s schoolchildren. .

Anonymous said...

The tactics described in Council Chambers are as abominable as the attacks on education and other public services themslves. Both myself and my poltical party (SSP) will be making sure that the electorate will be kept informed of this adminstration's horrendous misrule.

On a personal level, I totally support both Councillor Kelly, Wendy Alexander and the local Labour Group's position on the education and music cuts and I urge the people of Paisley to keep putting pressure their local councillors from all poltical parties.

Staying on a personal level, I have signed the petition launched by Wendy Alexander, however I would like to remind anyone reading this of Renfrewshire Council's farcical rules on petitions, which effectively rule out consideration of any petition until 12 months after a decision has been taken.

Also, people should also be aware that according to the rules, a petition cannot be seen to benefit any political party, which is in effect a benefit to the administrative parties.

Jimmy Kerr
SSP Renfrewshire

Cllr Terry Kelly said...

I have repeatedly said that I am unaware of any dishonesty attached to Cllr. Cameron and yes I do know and am still friendly with her family as she is with mine.

I know her well enough to know that she will not be lying awake at night trembling because of these attacks, if she had been subjected to the amount of abuse, lies and accusations which I have been subjected to over the years then she might worry, this kind of thing is the SNP’s stock in trade and she knows that.

I should also remind you that I have discarded piles of stuff sent to me about Cllr. Cameron, she has some very serious enemies.

There is no political party that I have ever come across that is dirtier and more nasty than the SNP, they are utterly beneath contempt, some of their individual members are better than others but as an organisation, as a political party, they live in the gutter.

Anonymous said...

Councillor Kelly, surely if Councillor Cameron and her party thinks that someone is trying to smear her, she or they, should report the person who they claim is doing so to the police, or she can easily go to a lawyer and take the person to court. She can easily afford this since she has sold one of her houses to her son for £85000. What is her problem?

Anonymous said...

Terry,

I have to agree with your comments regarding the SNP not just in Renfrewshire but across Scotland as a party of ferrets fighting in the sack and trying to get one up on each other. Lets just say that Ms Cameroon has done wrong and it is exposed, I just wonder how long the SNP will hold onto her, the question I have to ask Terry, is very simple, many years ago Ms Cameroon thought about jumping ship to the SSP, I wonder if they will take her this time.

The SNP in Renfrewshire have lost all credibility, all respect and most of all, lost the trust of the electorate.

Renfrewshire will never forgive this bunch of “skill seekers”.

P.s Terry, could you tell Mr Mark Ferguson when you see him that he is supposed
To be looking after the interests of his members, not attending tea & sponge cake
Events in Del Boay McKay’s Office.

Cllr Terry Kelly said...

(Anonymous) 19:06

I’m sure that you and any other readers are aware by now that I print most of this stuff because I know that it’s the SNP hacking away at each other. That is also the reason that I am always careful to add caveats to what is alleged or suggested.

To take someone to court you have to know who that person is so perhaps that explains why there are no court proceeding and once again I say that selling a house is not a crime.
Destroying the educational prospects of thousands of Renfrewshire schoolchildren is apparently not a crime either but it ought to be.

Cllr Terry Kelly said...

I think that if Cllr. Cameron were to leave the SNP and offer to join the SSP they would accept her, particularly if she refused to have a by election.

I don’t envy Mark Ferguson’s job having to deal with a council leader with little or no work or trade union experience to speak of, I doubt if Derek makes any decision without being heavily influenced by officers of the council, even if he does make exceedingly good cakes.

Anonymous said...

Councillor Celia Lawson only shows human tendancies towards Celia Lawson. She would have her provosts chain removed if she ever went against McFee, Nicolson and McKay, the 3 of her worst enemies within the SNP. She knows what side her bread is buttered on and there is no way she is going to loose that chain even though there are principles at stake.

Cllr Terry Kelly said...

What you say may or may not be true I am not privilege to such things but, even if it were; she would still be one of the more human types.

The point is though her performance at the special meeting was scandalous.

Anonymous said...

Terry,

I really feel sorry for that wee Boay Derek, he tries his best to be taken seriously, he went to Spec Savers bought specs even although his sight is fine, bought new suits and shoes, all to make him more credible, sorry it hasn't worked, if anything he is a parody of himself, it must be difficult keeping Nasty Nicolson in check, he wishes for higher status but knows that will never come, he was a disgrace when he was Leader of the SNP in Renfrewshire, he looks at the wee boay McKay with hungry eyes, equally the now super slim McPhee wishes he was back in Edinburgh, then remembers that the SNP higherarky disliked him even more than the Labour Party. We should at this point not forget chicken Mitchell, a horrid little man full of spite, Jim looks at wee boay McKay and thinks "that should and could have been me". Jim now represents everything nasty and spiteful about the SNP.

What a grouping, I think that it is not a happy ship, people like Mclaren and McGee are just voting fodder, unable to exercise free speech, wee Tracey (AKA Spacey Tracey) due to the fact that she is always spaced out cuts and trims McKay’s hair, hoping that this will help her keep her seat in two years time, unfortunately in the SNP is doesn't work that way, if the wee Boay no longer thinks that you are flavour of the month, you could end up on the deselection Express.

Mrs Cameron should take note, by the way Terry she was great hosting the Karaoke Night in Glenburn last week, I wonder if this paid job was declared!

Cllr Terry Kelly said...

Were you bitten by an SNP member when you were a child? You seem to have an encyclopaedic knowledge of the SNP mob in the council if your points are true. You should ID yourself and allow them to answer you, I’m sure Cllr. Cameron would take that up?

I personally think that those people who are in the SNP and are loyal and truthful will be deeply regretting the treatment meted out to former members the ‘Boay Vassie’ and ‘Old Bill Martin’ both had reputations for hitting below the belt but, unlike this bunch of backsliders they were Nationalists to the core and never wavered.

I’m also hearing stories about a guy called Willie Carlin who was also badly treated by the SNP ‘fainthearts’ in Renfrewshire, this guy is determined to make trouble for them, it would appear they saw him as a ‘not for turning’ nationalist and also a threat to them so; out came the wee chibs from the socks again but, he’s out there waiting, the numbers outside the tent p*****g in are growing, it could all end in tears.

Aileen said...

Forgive me for asking a silly question.

Why did Music get singled out for special treatment in the first place.

I'm not exactly sure why the taxpayer is paying for additional music tuition that is not part of the normal curriculum and no other school subject appears to receive this.

A liitle unfair to pupils who have other interests I would say.

My daughter has a particular aptitude in sculpture, however, the school offers no special lessons or tuition for her and we pay privately for outside art classes.At the same time we are paying for other childrens extra music tuition. Where is the fairness in that?

Cllr Terry Kelly said...

The question is indeed silly and disingenuous and unforgivable.

Music has been a part of school curriculums for hundreds of years and it has always been a favourite subject to receive additional funding when available. This has happened in many councils and particularly in Renfrewshire; so much so that we have built up an enviable reputation as one of the best councils in Scotland for music provision.

To perpetuate such vandalism on musical activity in schools is the way of philistines who know the price of everything and the value of nothing that seems to include you. If you are interested in the truth and the weakness of the SPs’s position; ask yourself why they had the special meeting on this abandoned without debate, and consider this statement made by Cllrs. Cameron, McCartin and McLaren “ We will cut music tuition by half without damaging the prospects of any music student”

Maths obviously isn’t their strong point either is it?

Aileen said...

You haven't answered the question that I asked.

I asked why music was given this special treatment over and above the normal curriculum provision at the cost to the taxpayer.

I have enquired into this and have found out that this is an "extra over" provision that is founded greatly by the taxpayer.

As I stated before, no other subject seems to receive this special treatment.

I also thought that I had posed a reasonable question in a polite and reasonable manner. It was not a political question.

To come back and label me as a Philistine for doing so suggests that you cannot really answer the question without resorting to insults.

I am new to your blog and it seems from reading over your recent postings that you treat anyone who doesn't share your point of view in the same way.

Who is the real Philistine?

Incidentally, I am a Labour voter living not a million miles from you.

Pauline said...

"The question is indeed silly and disingenuous and unforgivable."

Terry, hae you been attending the Lorraine Cameron school of manners? Surely modern politics should encourage questioning and, furthermore, councils being called upon to provide rationale for expenditure from the public purse?

I am wholly against the cuts in music tuition, but "that's the way we've always done it" is, in my opinion, not a satisfactory explanation. Perhaps the council should be exploring ways of opening up other opportunities across arts and academic subjects further, but what they certainly should not be doing is cutting what little specialist tuition there is. The system as it stands does appear to be unfair towards those with a talent other than music, but is the way to deal with that to call for music tuition to be dropped? Or should we as parents, rather than demanding that those music pupils stop receiving special treatment to nurture their abilty, be demonstrating an expectation of similar opportunities for other subjects?

What I do agree with, is that it is indeed concerning that this administration so boldly and so blithely push cuts throughwithout any meaningful discussion or debate.

Cllr Terry Kelly said...

I assumed that the question was a plant for the following 2 reasons 1/ it was indeed quite silly and at best poorly researched because even a cursory glance at education will show that schools spend money on many extra curricular activities, it just happens to be the case that music is very popular. 2/ the points you make are almost identical to those being made by the SNP and their supporters who seek to justify these cuts.

This latest comment also accuses me of treating those who disagree with me on my blog badly which is simply not true, I have though been involved in some very harsh exchanges on a give and take basis. This accusation is also word for word what the SNP have been saying about my blog for years. I hope I have answered your question about music tuition and If your comments; which are very similar to those of the SNP and their followers are coincidence and you are a Labour voter then please accept my apologies.

Cllr Terry Kelly said...

Pauline; I would direct you to the last exchange between ‘Aileen’ and me 10 mns. ago I hope that explains my initial reply to her.

I think the fact that music enjoys such a high profile with schools orchestras and performances throughout the school year leads some people to assume that they are receiving preferential treatment.
When you consider the value to the pupil and the school I do not accept that this is the case, any investigation will show that schools spend money on many different kinds of extra curricular activities.
Having put my 4 children through the school system I believe that parents are more than happy to see money being spent on music.

As far as meaningful discussion is concerned the fiasco of the special council meeting to discuss music tuition said it all, the meeting was abandoned by the SNP without anyone being allowed to speak!

Aileen said...

Having now carried out a little research, I still cannot find any subjects that receive this special attention and additional funding.

Most other extra curricular activities are self funded or so it appears. If I am missing something, perhaps you could point me in the right direction as I would really like to get to the bottom of this.

As a parent and taxpayer, I am concerned that I am paying for special treatment and subsidies for other children whilst having to pay privately for my own child's additional tuition as do many other parents for other subjects and sports.

With regards to your apology, I am afraid that as it is only offered on the basis that I am a Labour voter then it means very little and is insincere.

If you don't wish to reply that is ok as we now have a choice of councillors in the ward and I will take it up with one of them.

Anonymous said...

All these comments and not one has compared music provision in Renfrewshire as compared to Labour controlled Glasgow District?

Yes I am the Provost's daughter but I just ask why?