Attempt to force vote on school transport fails

An SNP Group motion to suspend standing orders at North Lanarkshire Council to force a vote on school transport was defeated.
Councillors voted against suspending standing ordersCouncillors voted against suspending standing orders
Councillors voted against suspending standing orders

The council is consulting on changing eligibility for primary and secondary pupils and at the education committee SNP motions calling for the proposal to be scrapped narrowly failed.

Bringing them to full council was ruled ‘not competent’ by provost Jean Jones and the vote to suspend standing orders was lost 30-42 as all Labour, Conservative and Independent members said no.

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The Conservative group previously stated its opposition to the proposal, leading SNP business manager Allan Stubbs to accuse them of changing their position.

He said: “When given the opportunity to end the uncertainty, Tory and Labour councillors refused to back us, meaning the prospect of these cuts remains very much on the table.

“What’s worse, the Tory leader appears to have changed her party’s position entirely.”

Conservative Group leader Meghan Gallacher says they’re still against the potential cuts, and told the SNP to stop playing party politics .

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She said: “I want to reassure those affected that we will not be voting to change distances for primary and secondary school transport.

“I believe when a consultation starts it should be concluded, it has allowed people to highlight how unpopular a proposal it is and it is disgusting that Councillor Stubbs is trying to make political capital out of a very serious issue.”