Mid Argyll school faces closure

Minard Primary School has been earmarked for closure by council chiefs.

 

The village school has been mothballed for more than four years and has no pupils on its roll, with no significant rise predicted in the near future.

 

The plan, which would be implemented from May 2024, will go out to public consultation if it is agreed by Argyll and Bute Council’s community services committee on Thursday, June 8.

 

A document prepared by the authority said: “It is proposed that education provision at Minard Primary School be discontinued with effect from May 31, 2024.

 

“It is proposed that children in the Minard catchment area would be directed to Lochgilphead Joint Campus or Furnace Primary, depending on where they live in the catchment area.

 

“The proposal is that children living in the north section of catchment area from Achagoyle Bay to Blackstone Bay attend Furnace Primary (with that section of Minard’s catchment area being subsumed by Furnace Primary School).

 

“Children in the south section of the catchment area, from Achagoyle Bay to Kilmichael Beg, [would] attend Lochgilphead Joint Campus (with that section of Minard’s catchment area being subsumed by Lochgilphead Primary School).

 

“Along with several other rural councils, Argyll and Bute is facing increasing challenges in recruiting staff. At the time of writing there are 8.59 full-time equivalent primary vacancies for head teachers and teachers in Argyll and Bute.

 

“Whilst the school is mothballed, the building is deteriorating with limited budget for maintenance. The annual cost of the mothballing of the building is £10,382.”

 

The document added: “Schools in the council area are expensive to maintain and operate. Retaining unnecessary accommodation is a serious drain on the resources of the council and diverts spending from areas that directly affect the educational attainment of pupils.

 

“There is no realistic possibility at present of the council being able to bring its whole school estate up to a satisfactory condition. The present condition is unsustainable and can only be improved by reducing the extent of the estate.

 

“During the preliminary engagement regarding the future options for Minard Primary School there were a range of viewpoints gathered from parents, young people and members of the community.

 

“The community reflected that Minard Primary School had been an integral part of the community, and there were contrasting views on the proposals for the future of Minard Primary School.

 

“Closing the school would have no impact on staff or pupil travel from the current arrangement. There would be no alteration to the current environmental impact.”