:00:00. > :00:00.whether that is legal or not. Full coverage for you online and
:00:00. > :00:11.Here on BBC One, it's time
:00:12. > :00:14.An independent report into safety failures that forced the closure
:00:15. > :00:16.of 17 Edinburgh schools has blamed the council and
:00:17. > :00:18.the partnership which managed the building contracts.
:00:19. > :00:21.It began with the collapse of a wall at Oxgangs Primary School
:00:22. > :00:23.in January last year, which the report says
:00:24. > :00:27.Today's report found there had been a lack of proper scrutiny
:00:28. > :00:29.of the construction work and warned that the problems may
:00:30. > :00:34.This is where the children sheltered on a windy day at playtime.
:00:35. > :00:36.This is where nine tonnes of rubble fell,
:00:37. > :00:39.hundreds of bricks peeling from the wall and crashing to the ground.
:00:40. > :00:41.Luckily it happened just before the school gates open.
:00:42. > :00:45.The fact they can build a school that holds
:00:46. > :00:48.500 children and not check it out and not have anybody independently
:00:49. > :00:50.check it out, it is a complete and utter farce.
:00:51. > :00:54.I got a phone call to say your son's not here, he's not at
:00:55. > :00:56.Somebody needs to be held culpable for this.
:00:57. > :00:59.That could have been a kid, in fact it could have
:01:00. > :01:10.This sparked an urgent inspection of schools built
:01:11. > :01:15.There are 17 of them and all found to be faulty and all were shut down
:01:16. > :01:18.The main findings are that the 17 schools
:01:19. > :01:20.There was a lack of supervision that would
:01:21. > :01:24.And the problems were not bound to the
:01:25. > :01:26.use of public, private partnerships to finance the projects.
:01:27. > :01:29.The problem was with wall ties, metal fixings
:01:30. > :01:31.that strengthened the inner and outer walls.
:01:32. > :01:33.The BBC Scotland investigation revealed the problem
:01:34. > :01:36.These pictures show faulty fixings in East
:01:37. > :01:54.The fact there were different contractors and
:01:55. > :01:57.subcontractors and the same faults turned up at other schools in
:01:58. > :02:00.Scotland, where we found five wall collapse in the last four years.
:02:01. > :02:01.It says this is something which isn't
:02:02. > :02:05.It is going to be down to a number of agencies
:02:06. > :02:08.across the UK and the construction agency itself to look at whether the
:02:09. > :02:10.quality assurance of those buildings is good enough.
:02:11. > :02:16.The closures caused massive disruption across the city,
:02:17. > :02:18.more than 8,000 children affected and their families.
:02:19. > :02:20.The report praises the Council for their response to
:02:21. > :02:23.getting pupils to class and says learning did not suffer.
:02:24. > :02:25.But for one family, they still lack confidence
:02:26. > :02:28.I still don't stand next to the wall now.
:02:29. > :02:30.I know they have fixed it and I have seen them
:02:31. > :02:33.physically drill holes into every bit, but it does put you off
:02:34. > :02:37.It is a lot quieter in that part of the trade ground.
:02:38. > :02:40.The Scottish Government says it is writing to all local
:02:41. > :02:41.authorities across Scotland, highlighting the report's
:02:42. > :03:19.Four more councils have agreed to put up the basic rate
:03:20. > :03:23.The average bill will rise by ?300 or ?400 a month,
:03:24. > :03:26.while around a quarter of people will face more significant rises
:03:27. > :03:28.because of national changes to the way their council
:03:29. > :03:30.Edinburgh Council today became the first big
:03:31. > :03:34.But as our local Government correspondent Jamie McIvor reports,
:03:35. > :03:50.councils are still under huge financial pressure.
:03:51. > :03:53.Council budget day is a day of tradition.
:03:54. > :03:59.For years, councils have faced tough spending decisions,
:04:00. > :04:06.Councils across Scotland can put up the basic rate of council tax by 3%.
:04:07. > :04:11.But it won't mean the end of cuts and savings.
:04:12. > :04:14.Many councils are proposing new headline grabbing cuts
:04:15. > :04:20.Protesters say one big issue is about what some call
:04:21. > :04:29.In Edinburgh, 1,400 members of staff have gone this year.
:04:30. > :04:35.It increases the workload of other people.
:04:36. > :04:39.People can't provide the service they want to provide.
:04:40. > :04:49.They cannot get out to meet the people.
:04:50. > :04:56.Typically, the council tax makes up only 15p of every pound
:04:57. > :05:02.Some council leaders want new powers to find other ways to
:05:03. > :05:04.raise cash, their dependence on the Scottish Parliament.
:05:05. > :05:07.I would raise tax tomorrow if I had the power to do so.
:05:08. > :05:10.I would place a parking levy tomorrow, but I don't have
:05:11. > :05:15.Edinburgh Council is one of five councils to have agreed to put
:05:16. > :05:20.Aberdeenshire opted for a smaller rise.
:05:21. > :05:23.Typically, an average bill will go up by ?3 and ?4 a month,
:05:24. > :05:25.but around a quarter face bigger rises.
:05:26. > :05:27.The bills in band E, F, G and H are rising
:05:28. > :05:36.This man's annual bill will come to almost ?1,600.
:05:37. > :05:41.I have spoken to my neighbours and most of
:05:42. > :05:44.us have said we are prepared to pay a bit more if it will be held
:05:45. > :05:47.locally and local decisions are made on how to spend the money.
:05:48. > :05:49.Others face even bigger rises and some will
:05:50. > :05:54.All councils should reach decisions in the council tax within the next
:05:55. > :06:13.The sister of a man who didn't return from a kayaking trip,
:06:14. > :06:15.has paid tribute to search teams after a body was found
:06:16. > :06:18.35-year-old Dominic Jackson was reported missing on Sunday
:06:19. > :06:20.after a weekend trip on the Moray Firth.
:06:21. > :06:22.A body has now been found in the Lybster area.
:06:23. > :06:24.It has still to be formally identified.
:06:25. > :06:27.Ellie Jackson said her family was thankful to have an outcome
:06:28. > :06:37.even though it wasn't the one they were praying for.
:06:38. > :06:40.The First Minister has faced claims that her Government has let down
:06:41. > :06:43.The Holyrood row followed analysis from a think tank
:06:44. > :06:45.which suggests that bright pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds
:06:46. > :06:47.in Scotland lag well behind their more affluent classmates.
:06:48. > :06:49.The First Minister insisted action was already well under way
:06:50. > :06:59.Here's our political editor Brian Taylor.
:07:00. > :07:01.If these warnings about Scotland's schools sound familiar, they are.
:07:02. > :07:03.The Sutton Trust the data from an international survey and matched
:07:04. > :07:06.They found bright children from poor households
:07:07. > :07:09.are more than two and a half years behind their wealthier
:07:10. > :07:13.In England, the gap in attainment link
:07:14. > :07:16.to wealth is even greater, but this report highlights a distinctive
:07:17. > :07:20.Unlike in England, Scotland's brightest pupils score
:07:21. > :07:21.below the average for developed countries.
:07:22. > :07:25.The trust found no area in which the brightest 15-year-olds
:07:26. > :07:27.in Scotland really excel and they noticed a pronounced and sustained
:07:28. > :07:33.A decade, of course, of the SNP in power at Holyrood.
:07:34. > :07:38.It is a generation of Scottish people that are being left
:07:39. > :07:40.behind in the race for qualifications and future jobs.
:07:41. > :07:42.Scotland used to lead the world in education.
:07:43. > :07:48.While under this SNP government, are we always playing catch-up?
:07:49. > :07:51.Time and time again I have come here and argued the SNP are
:07:52. > :08:02.This report shows they are holding the brightest children back.
:08:03. > :08:04.A sombre Education Secretary by her side,
:08:05. > :08:06.the First Minister noted the basic figures were
:08:07. > :08:09.But, no excuses, action was needed and was already in progress.
:08:10. > :08:12.We have embarked upon a programme of reforms in education are underpinned
:08:13. > :08:15.by substantial additional funding, going straight into the hands of
:08:16. > :08:18.Our headteachers across this country, last week got
:08:19. > :08:20.told of the substantial additional funding that they will have at their
:08:21. > :08:23.direct disposal, to invest in additional teachers or the things
:08:24. > :08:41.they think will help raise attainment.
:08:42. > :08:50.The First Minister said again, education was her top
:08:51. > :08:55.priority and, like a political exam candidate, she was ready to be
:08:56. > :09:07.Twenty six schoolchildren were taken to hospital this morning
:09:08. > :09:09.after the bus they were travelling in overturned and crashed down
:09:10. > :09:13.It happened as the bus arrived at Our Lady's High School
:09:14. > :09:16.Although there were no serious injuries a major incident
:09:17. > :09:22.was declared with ambulance, police and fire appliances
:09:23. > :09:27.The scene outside the school in Cumbernauld this morning.
:09:28. > :09:30.At 8:45am a single deck of bus plunge down this ditch.
:09:31. > :09:34.One pupil, who got out, said the driver helped his
:09:35. > :09:40.I literally saw the bus come down the hill and
:09:41. > :09:48.the wheel hit the curb and I don't know if it
:09:49. > :09:50.exploded, but there was fire coming out of it.
:09:51. > :09:52.I just saw it literally flip right over.
:09:53. > :09:53.A major incident was declared with 20
:09:54. > :09:57.ambulances going to the scene as well as three fire appliances.
:09:58. > :09:59.The bus was on its side and the escape
:10:00. > :10:03.hatches on the roof had been popped out and we lead the kids out through
:10:04. > :10:13.My friends and colleagues who saw it happening,
:10:14. > :10:27.they, it was a difficult scene for those.
:10:28. > :10:30.Most pupils were taken into the school hall to recover.
:10:31. > :10:33.One 16-year-old girl is being treated for nonserious
:10:34. > :10:35.injuries and the rest are under investigation.
:10:36. > :10:37.In North Lanarkshire we take the safety of
:10:38. > :10:47.Parents on a daily basis give their most
:10:48. > :10:49.valuable possessions, their children.
:10:50. > :10:55.It is important we investigate this matter fully.
:10:56. > :10:56.The vehicle was eventually pulled out
:10:57. > :11:15.The bus company confirmed their driver is recovering.
:11:16. > :11:18.Weather now and it's over to Christopher for the outlook
:11:19. > :11:32.Thank you very much indeed an good evening to you at home. He cold one
:11:33. > :11:36.tonight, frosty and for Easter in Scotland, snow showers. This picture
:11:37. > :11:44.sent in by one of our weather watchers. In the last few moments,
:11:45. > :11:52.the weather watchers have issued a whether warning yellow. The showers
:11:53. > :11:57.continuing. Elsewhere it dry night and it dries out day tomorrow, but
:11:58. > :12:01.it will be cold start and a frosty start. Maybe a view of those showers
:12:02. > :12:06.drifting through the central lowlands. Towards the north-west,
:12:07. > :12:11.Santander set the date, plate a pleasant sight, but it will be
:12:12. > :12:14.bitterly cold at times. We have lost the wind along the north-west coast.
:12:15. > :12:18.To the cause of the morning, the show is tending to use off for
:12:19. > :12:27.Easter in parts. Elsewhere largely dry. Sunshine in places. Better than
:12:28. > :12:32.today. Across the UK as a whole, largely dry, cloudy and cold. Even a
:12:33. > :12:36.few showers coming in across the ease coast with that breeze of the
:12:37. > :12:39.north sea. Temperature wise three, four Celsius. It will be cold. The
:12:40. > :12:44.north sea. Temperature wise three, best of the sunshine in the west.
:12:45. > :12:50.Elsewhere some brighter moments. Into the evening, Sharia still with
:12:51. > :12:55.us, peppering the coast at times. -- showers. Into the weekend, high
:12:56. > :12:59.us, peppering the coast at times. -- pressure staying with us. Largely
:13:00. > :13:06.settled, but that east wind coming in off the north sea. Come Saturday,
:13:07. > :13:10.most of those likely across parts of the Borders, said Lanarkshire, the
:13:11. > :13:18.load 's, faith and Angus. Elsewhere largely dry. Once again cold. Bitter
:13:19. > :13:24.winds. Sunday, once again largely dry, fairly closely in the east,
:13:25. > :13:29.Our next update is during Breakfast at 6:25am tomorrow morning.
:13:30. > :13:32.From everyone on the late team here in Glasgow