Friday 1 October 2010

email To Philip Saxton on 01.10.2010 re Marr

To philip.saxton@south-ayrshire.gov.uk
From: cdbc81 Crawford (cdbc81@hotmail.com)
Sent: 01 October 2010 17:12:16
To: philip.saxton@south-ayrshire.gov.uk
Dear Philip,

Thank you very much for your email reply of today. Unfortunately I did not receive the reply to my communication of 9th August that you mention, yet I received many other emails around that date.

I realise the informal consultation is now complete and I (on my own behalf) have all ready submitted the required documentation to the consultation.

I am somewhat surprised at your line "any corespondence from groups or petitions will be taken as one person support or objection for either a refurnishment or new build" given that South Ayrshire Council have themselves tried their own survey over the last few days of school pupils of Marr College. It seems a great deal of trouble for the Council to have gone to if this will be only counted as 1 response.

Your comment also contradicts previously what South Ayrshire Council had previously advised i.e. that petitions and correspondence from groups counted for nothing whatsoever, meaning their own survey counts for nothing whatsoever.

South Ayrshire Council is also therefore different to the Scottish Parliament where petitions do count for more than nothing or indeed 1 person.

Like you my main concern is for the current and future pupils in secondary education in Troon which I believe would be best served by South Ayrshire Council maintaining their existing schools and buildings so that pupils could be educated in satisfactory accomodation for the long term. This is why I think the refurbishment of the existing iconic building which has inspired many generations of pupils would be better than the building of a new school which would with necessity do away with the existing traditions, itself require replacement within about 30 years and remove the reputation which Marr College has had for many many years. Surely building on that existing reputation is better than destroying it.

Marr College continues to inspire people to fight on its behalf and engenders great respect due to its reputation for good education achieved over many years. South Ayrshire Council has a reputation in the local area gained through its own actions over many years of neglecting Marr College and general financial mismanagement.

It is interesting to note that you state that your decision will be taken in the interests of the Trust and not the Council. These should be one and the same i.e. the best interests of the education of the people of Troon, in particular those all ready at and who will in future attend Marr. Ofcourse finance should also be considered but I hope we all live in a country where more than the bottom line is taken into consideration even in these financially strapped times.

I continue to be surprised that Marr Trust have allowed South Ayrshire Council to neglect the Marr College buildings to the extent that they seem to have over many years.

I thank you for taking the time to respond. It is reassuring to note that you do care about this after all.

I look forward to a satisfactory outcome.

Regards

Christopher

Christopher Crawford (ex Marr pupil with family still in Troon)
81 Meadowpark Street
Flat G2
Dennistoun
GLASGOW
G31 2SH
tel: 0141 554 4079
e: cdbc81@hotmail.com

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