Peatstack - October 2007

The Peatstack would like to add a little clarity to some of the financial matters referred to in earlier posts about the proposed closure of the S1/2 units in our local schools.
Namely, that the Comhairle's PPP (Private Public Partnership) for school development is in many ways a more acceptable hybrid version of the common private finance models used elsewhere, involving the Comhairle actually setting up and owning a private company (Western Isles Schools Project or WISP), and is not therefore the usual userous private profit type company.
At least the people of the Western Isles might, in theory actually own this company itself.
The Company will, The Peatstack understands, be set up to develop the schools project and the various contracts involved, and then oversee the on-going management of the newly developed schools. The finance for this will not be coming from private sources but from the Treasury's Public Works Board at a largely acceptable interest rate - but that is only for the capital costs, and not the on-going management costs of the new facilities.
Faithful & Gould/Navigant are contracted to develop this project and to obtain best cost for contracts etc. At what cost, I ask?
Now, please do accuse the Peatstack of being naive in being a little less against this hybrid model than the full-blown private finance schemes used elsewhere. If all of this is just the Comhairle window-dressing the same bad finance deal, then do let me know, but as it stands I feel we should focus on the real cost of the on-going management of these new facilities which will envitably be run by a private contractor.
However, the Devil as they say, is in the detail. For whilst the finance might be, in the round, on more beneficial terms, part of the on-going cost of the schools development will be for what is referred to in the WISP Development Plan as a contract for 'facilities management' of the new schools. Namely, the privatisation of schools maintenance etc.
So, whilst the Peatstack hopes he is right about the hybrid financial model being less onorous than the usual private sector finance model, I shudder to think what the spend will be on a private company running 'facilities management' on behalf of the Comhairle. No one does that for charity, so the costs of that contract could be very high.
This contract will, I am sure, cost lots of money and jobs, for there will be no hybrid model available in awarding and paying for such a private sector contract. Elsewhere, in parts where such management contracts operate, teachers have complained about having to ring a call centre in some remote place in order to arrange for a light bulb to be changed. (Yes, this is the kind of real complaint that can be sourced on the credible websites of the main trade unions etc.)
So what is the truth here? How much is this contract going to be for? What's the profit margin of the contractor going to be (all of it from council tax payers money and the already stretched education budget)? and do we want our S1/2 units instead of a tidy profit for the contractor?

More evidence today that at the very heart of the problems we face with the future of education in the Outer Hebrides is a lack of leadership, direction and creativity in the highest ranks of the Comhairle.
This morning we learn (from BBC Radio News for The Highlands & Islands) that the Comhairle are to ask the minister for education in Scotland to explain to them her comments - made in the Islands weeks and weeks ago - that there is no incompatibility between the S1/2 Units in our schools and the new Curriculum for Excellence.
The minister made these comments because that is a fundamental truth about the new Curriculum. In reality it is more a philosophical and aspirational tract than a new hard-wired replacement curriculum, and is open to wide and creative interpretation. One example given in a previous post to this blog, is the idea that the new curriculum is actually designed to remove the strict aged / year-base to learning, and in fact would be a good basis to extend the current S1/2 units to become S1-3 units.
Locally, the new curriculum could and should mean embracing the many excellent qualities of our schools and schooling, and utilising the new curriculum to cement the many positive aspects of small, village school education - especially in terms of their community base and spirtitual education (I don't mean theology or RE by this but something far wider), and the way in which these schools create confident, self-assured young people - factors absolutely central to the new curriculum.
But no, we won't do this in the Islands, not in the Outer Hebrides, it seems our (meaning the highest ranks of councillor) interpretation of the curriculum means we must centralise and unify our schooling destroying anything unique and rooted in the community,and we seem to be destined to be led by sheep rather than real leaders prepared to defend and extend our values and culture.
Instead, of course, they'll gladly rub their hands together and condemn those who favour ferries on a Sunday - that's easy pickings - but when it comes to really working to defend this place and its culture by standing up against central government - their high words suddenly disappear.
Frankly, I worry for the future prosperity of these islands when the council is so weak and reactive. Why not go to Edinburgh and really tell the Minister how we are going to embrace and implement the new curriculum locally within the existing structure of schools and schooling rather than flouncing about waiting to be told?

With changing weather patterns, the calendar-based division of the year into neat seasons of about three months each is, for me, and many others, a pointless exercise. Instead, I find myself looking for new patterns and faithful markers in the such things as bird migration, and I'd be very happy to know of yours.
My particular, sure-fire proof of the coming of winter is the arrival on Lewis of flocks of red wings and fieldfares. These northern species, both thrush-like, make their way down to the islands and other places in Scotland from Scandinavia around this time of year. And yes, this weekend, as thought they knew the clocks were going back, they arrived on the croft and are now here in quite large numbers.
They'll be gone again in a day next spring, maybe around April or later into May, and then begins the only other season we seem to have now.
A happy and fruitful winter to all.

First, congrats to Jock on his calendar. The Peatstack lost a brother to leukemia and therefore urges everyone to get behind Jock's venture in calendars, he's asking £5 each, I'd say give him at least £10. Not the first time Jock has used his fertile imagination for the benefit of others, of course, make it an annual charity event on the BBC (don't have enough of those at present), perhaps under the working title Lemon-Aid. Abair tairsgeir balach! And when are the women of Gress going to reveal (not quite) all cheekily discreet behind a fold or two of washing? Don't know where the calendar is available, don't want to give out Jock's phone number on a website, so look aroudn the Back / Stornoway area, I'm sure Gordon's will stock it.
It's good to see local Gress produce being showcased, though. The new range of croft lingerie is really something. The Peat range replaces the knotted head scarf and Sunday best hat as the lingerie of choice for the boireannaich 's cailleachs of the district, but it got the Peatstack thinking...what range of new croft fragrances could add to the coffers of Lemon-Aid. A few suggestions...
'Eau de Cremola' by Prem de Van
'Guga' by Dods of Ness
'Duff' by Calum Klein
'Diesel Red' by Gordons
'Marrag Dearg' |& 'Barley' by Charlie
Currently working on brand names for new essences of sgadan sailte, ceann cropach etc. All suggestions welcome.
By the way, has anyone out there ever looked up the Gaidhlig for perfume in Dwelly's. Quite rightly the man lists the terms as cubhraidh (can't put the accent on the u here). It's always interesting to read the little examples he provides, but can't for the life of me work out why adn how he choose the entry for this one...rinn mi mo leabadh cubhraidh...meaning, I have perfumed my bed.