AN internationally renowned music school has been saved from closure following a campaign by parents, students, musicians and composers.
The plan by Edinburgh City Council was ditched by the finance committee and its convener, Alasdair Rankin, apologised for distress caused to parents and students after weeks of uncertainty over its future.
Saxophonist Tommy Smith: Well done to all campaigners.
Campaigners welcomed the move with a round of applause from the packed public gallery in the council chambers.
Lindsay Law, campaign spokesperson, said: "Confirmed. The City of Edinburgh Music School is now saved, and it's 'highly unlikely it will be brought up again in the life of this administration'."
Nicola Benedetti: Scotland will eventually pay for axing unique music school
The council's amendment read: "To approve the recommendations in the report, subject to the withdrawal of the proposal for the 'Creation of a Citywide Equity and Excellence Music Service'."
That would have meant the closure of the dedicated Centre of Excellence school that provides free music tuition from primary through to secondary school, across the neighbouring campuses of Flora Stevenson's Primary and Broughton High.
Violonist Nicola Benedetti: I’m pleased to see the right call being made this time.
Conservative councillor Graham Hutchison said: “We have heard about the commendable campaign by the students and the parents of the school put forward, can I ask first of all convener if you would be willing to apologise to the parents in the public gallery and to the students for the distress that they have been caused by the proposal to close the music school?
Nicola Benedetti: Scotland will eventually pay for axing unique music school
“Further can I ask as the deputation asked that they’d like to take this proposal off the table for the life of this council is that something that you are willing to commit to this morning?"
We can't thank @NickyBenedetti enough for her effusive support, or thank @adamrmcvey enough for listening to our concerns.
— savecoems (@savecoems) November 7, 2017
Mr Rankin said: "We don’t put forward any of these proposals because we are particularly keen to do that in fact and there has been a great deal of discussion about these and every one of the proposals and indeed others which have not come forward which would have been even more difficult.
"If you look at the council position in the round you can see that we have requirement to make £21m of savings in the next financial year.
"We have to find a way of doing that."
Nicola Benedetti: Scotland will eventually pay for axing unique music school
He said: "In so far as anyone was caused distress by this or by any other measures then that is obviously a matter of regret, but we bring forward as a matter of necessity."
He said the next financial year "we are looking at double the financial savings".
We can't thank @NickyBenedetti enough for her effusive support, or thank @adamrmcvey enough for listening to our concerns.
— savecoems (@savecoems) November 7, 2017
Mr Rankin added: "I think it’s highly unlikely to bring it forward again over the circumstances in the life of this administration."
The famous school has helped steer dozens of gifted young musicians – alumni include Shirley Manson, lead singer of Garbage, international jazz saxophonist Tommy Smith and the Celtic Fusion artist Martyn Bennet, who died of cancer aged 33.
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