Public appointment: New Convener of the School Closure Review Panels Appointed

The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills today announced the appointment of Dr Colin Morrison as Convener of the School Closure Review Panels.

Convener

Dr Colin Morrison is an educator and researcher. He is a partner in education consultancy TASC (Scotland). Colin was co-founder and until recently co-director of the national children’s rights agency, Children’s Parliament. He originally trained and worked as a teacher and community education worker, then in play and youth work and adult education. Colin has a BEd with teaching qualification, a post-graduate qualification in Youth and Community Work and a Master’s Degree in Education with Distinction (International, Multicultural and Comparative Education). Colin holds an EdD, a professional doctoral degree that focuses on the field of education.

Appointment

This appointment will be for five years and will run from 13 July 2023 to 12 July 2028.

This appointment is regulated by the Ethical Standards Commissioner.

Remuneration

This appointment is part-time and attracts a remuneration of £226.92 per day for a time commitment of 20 days per year.

Other ministerial appointments

Dr Colin Morrison does not hold any other public appointments.

Political activity

All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process.  However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity within the last five years (if there is any to be declared) to be made public.   

Dr Colin Morrison has had no political activity within the last five years.

Background

School Closure Review Panels are independent statutory bodies which have been created to enhance and strengthen the process of local authority school closures in Scotland.

Scottish local authorities proposing to close a school within their area must do so in line with the requirements of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 (“the 2010 Act”) and it is for the Scottish Ministers to decide whether the authority has met these statutory requirements.  The 2010 Act contains the power for Ministers to “call in” a local authority school closure decision, if there is evidence that the requirements may not have been met.

On 30 March 2015 the School Closure Review Panels took over the responsibility from the Scottish Ministers of reviewing and determining certain local authority school closure decisions.  If the Scottish Ministers decide to call in such a local authority decision, they then refer the decision to the Convener of the Panels.  The Convener will appoint a Panel of three Panel Members to review and determine the closure decision.  The Panel must satisfying itself that, in taking the decision, the local authority has fulfilled its statutory responsibilities and that no material considerations relevant to the decision have been missed.

School Closure Review Panels cannot become involved in any school closures unless and until the matter is called in by the Scottish Ministers.