Parents angry as vandal-hit school denied security fence

Published on Monday 8 June 2009 11:02

PARENTS of children at a school plagued by vandalism are furious after being told they cannot get a security fence built – or transplant one from another primary soon to close.

Council chiefs say erecting a new fence at Murrayburn Primary in Sighthill would cost too much money and the school will have to wait at least two years to be considered again for funding.

They have also knocked back requests to move over a fence from Westburn Primary, which closes for good next month. Parents say the argument makes no sense as the school continues to be a target for teenagers, costing the school and the council a constant stream of money in repairs.

Earlier this year, the son of Murrayburn's janitor Andy Bremner was beaten by a gang of men with baseball bats after he confronted a group of teenagers for throwing bottles at passing cars from the school grounds. Teenager Andrew Bremner's head was split open by the gang, who attacked him with the bats and stamped on him.

Parents say the school is a target for teenagers at the weekends, particularly during the summer months, and staff often turn up on a Monday morning to find broken windows and glass bottles strewn in the playground.

Louise Frampton, chair of the school's parent council, said: "We try and raise money for the school to make it a better place for our children and then this keeps happening.

"It lowers the tone of the school because it looks vandalised. We have some windows that have just been left broken because it's expensive to keep replacing them. We need something to keep the vandals out."

Liz Stewart, treasurer of the parent council, said: "Murrayburn are about to take in pupils from Westburn Primary and we have already asked if we can have the fencing from that school.

"I had even offered to arrange for some parents to help, if it would save the council the costs on workmanship.

"I know what my priority would be and the costs to me is not the issue here, it's having the school playgrounds free from broken glass and all other things that have been found in playgrounds that shouldn't be there."

A city council spokesman said: "Due to the expensive nature of the work and our financial constraints, we are unable to provide a security fence at present.

"We will work closely with police to help tackle vandalism problems at the school."