Education / Councillors make religious appointment ‘not because we want to, because we are required to’
THE NEED for the councils in Scotland to appoint religious representatives on education committees is “quite frankly ridiculous in the 21st Century”, according to one Shetland elected member.
Gary Robinson criticised the requirement and said he would prefer to have local members of the Scottish Youth Parliament given voting rights on the education and families committee instead.
The matter was raised during a meeting of the full Shetland Islands Council on Wednesday, where members were asked to appoint a religious representative to the committee.
John Rollo was put forward for a religious vacancy on the committee by the Shetland Churches Council Trust. A final unfilled post remains, but a name is due to be put forward by the Shetland Inter Faith Group soon.
Because it is a statutory requirement under a law made in 1973, members were told they had to appoint to fulfil their duty.
Robinson suggested making the appointment – but stressing it was “not because we want to, because we are being required to”.
In a motion accepted by his colleagues, the Lerwick North councillor suggested opening up a dialogue with or through local government body COSLA with the Scottish Government on the legislation.
Fellow Lerwick North member Stephen Leask had initially questioned if the appointment could be deferred to allow more information to be gleaned about the potential new member’s “principles and values” in areas such as LGBT and women’s rights.
Legal chief Jan Riise said it was technically within councillors’ gift to hold something of an “interview process”.
But Leask stressed he was not questioning the character of any religious appointees.
More generally the councillor felt the Scottish Government is “kicking the can down the road” with the issue.
Leask said religious representatives being appointed was “unconstitutional and undemocratic”.
But Riise reminded the meeting that having three religious representatives with voting rights on education matters was part of the council’s constitution. However, this constitution can be reviewed.
A reported to members said that in addition to the statutory requirement, the appointment of religious representatives would “meet the outcomes of the council’s equality statement”.
This is “in relation to the need to ensure that democratic bodies better reflect the diversity of Shetland’s communities, and would assist the council in meeting its objective of ensuring high quality education services”, it added.
Shetland Central member Ian Scott also spoke up, saying: “It’s quite absurd that in this day and age non-elected people have got a say in our education.”
He said that “be it religious people or footballers or whatever…it’s about that our education system is privy to non-elected influence”.
Scott pointed out the Scottish Government previously said that giving voting rights to religious representatives was not a legal obligation.
It came after Perth and Kinross Council voted to remove voting rights from religious representatives following the closure of a primary school, which was decided by a vote.
Shetland South member Bryan Peterson meanwhile spoke up for the character of Rollo and current Church of Scotland religious representative Ellen Weir, and said the matter gave a chance of positive engagement.
He suggested though that religious representatives are not “champing at the bit” to join the committee and that the tone of conversation about the issue in the past has not been too welcoming.
Shetland Central member Moraig Lyall also said the requirement to appoint religious representatives should be removed.
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