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There is a tendency in government to consider a decision as etched in stone, even if the outcome is not ideal: "live and learn", "we’ll get’em next time", and all that.

Governments are reluctant to revisit decisions or grant special consideration because they risk setting a precedent in which every stakeholder in the future will demand an exception.

But is that such a bad thing? Surely one of the responsibilities of the government is to take every decision on its merits. Leaders shouldn’t sit on their hands just because intervening means they will have to have an awkward conversation with someone later on, so what should the government do when it looks like things have gone wrong?

The question was raised this week at Holyrood, during a debate on “empowering Scotland’s island communities.” The recent decision by Argyll and Bute Council on where to build a new school on Mull was brought back into the spotlight, and highlighted by Conservative MSP Tim Eagle as an example of “when things go wrong” when decision-makers ask island communities for their opinions but don’t really listen to their answers.

Lessons to Learn | The SNP reduced education targets and hoped no one would notice

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