MEMBERS of the public are being invited to have their say on proposals to permanently close Buchanan Primary School.

Stirling Council is asking for parents, children and young people, as well as the wider community to give their views on the mothballed school as part of a public consultation that opened today, Wednesday, September 15.

The proposals include Buchanan PS is permanently closed on June 24, 2022 or as soon as possible thereafter, pupils from Buchanan PS catchment area will receive their education at Drymen Primary School from session 2022/23 and the catchment area of Drymen PS is permanently extended to include the catchment area of Buchanan PS from June 25, 2022 or as soon as possible thereafter.

The consultation is available online until November 10, 2021.

A public meeting will take place with Stirling Council’s chief education officer on Tuesday, October 19.

This may be in-person or remote depending on the latest Covid-19 restrictions and will be confirmed in due course. 

Cllr Susan McGill, convenor of the Children and Young People Committee, said: “Any decision that is made on the future of Buchanan Primary School will take into account the views of the local community, parents, carers and young people.

“Following a three year period of inactivity, it’s a sensible course of action to open a discussion on whether or not the school should be permanently closed. I encourage everybody with an interest to take part in the public consultation.”

Buchanan Primary School has been mothballed since January 2018 following a steady fall in enrolment over the previous five school sessions, with zero children enrolled at the school in October 2017.

Cllr Christine Simpson, vice convenor, added: “I welcome the opening of the public consultation on the future of Buchanan Primary School and urge all stakeholders to make sure that their voices are heard.

“The prolonged period of inactivity that has led to the school being mothballed is the basis for the proposals put forward in the consultation, however, any decision made must consider the views of the local community.”

Visit engage.stirling.gov.uk/en-GB to access the online consultation.