Exclusive:'Death spiral' fear for Scotland's southernmost village as council closes local nursery

A public meeting was arranged for Tuesday after the community was left ‘heartbroken’ by the decision to close the nursery

Families fear Scotland’s southernmost village is facing a “death spiral” of depopulation after being told their local nursery will close this summer.

Parents and pupils at Drummore Early Learning Centre were left “heartbroken” when they were informed of the decision. They say they will face at least a ten-mile journey to an alternative nursery in Sandhead.

They also fear the decision will ultimately threaten the future of the local primary school, exacerbating depopulation in the area.

With a population of around 500, Drummore sits at the east side of the Rhinns of Galloway, near the Mull of Galloway, about 16 miles south of Stranraer.

Walkers at the Mull of Galloway Lighthouse | Visit Scotland

Families say they were told last week by Dumfries and Galloway Council officials the nursery would close in August.

They say there was no consultation or warning ahead of the decision. It is understood there are five youngsters at the nursery, which has a capacity of 15, with the roll having been expected to increase to about seven following the summer.

An urgent public meeting was due to be held on Tuesday at Kirkmaiden Community Hub to discuss the closure.

Campaigners want the local authority to rethink the decision and to carry out a “fair, transparent, and inclusive” consultation process involving local parents, educators, and community representatives.

One local mother said: “As a parent who has seen two children through this setting, I am heartbroken for the school, the staff, and our community. This is not just a job for these ladies whose livelihoods are now under threat - they have helped raise the future of our village.”

It comes amid growing concern about the future of smaller schools in the area, which has led to the creation of Dumfries & Galloway Rural School Alliance.

Franziska Weir, a spokesperson for the group, said: “It is really clear that wherever you close a nursery, you definitely weaken the primary.

“It’s a death spiral. This whole approach - mothballing or closing it temporarily as they say - it’s already a death spiral, because if something is closing temporarily, it doesn’t appear anywhere.

“So why should you put your child down for something which ‘might’ reopen? You want maximum clarity.

“Rural people, some are running huge farms, they need clarity to work, and normally the man and the woman are working. What they need is clarity.

“Even the threat of closing, or just thinking about closing something, leaves parents freaking out and looking for alternatives.”

It is claimed by campaigners the council is making facilities like Drummore nursery “inactive”, despite national guidance stating they must be either open, closed or mothballed.

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A spokesperson for the council said that, on March, 12, the education management team “considered the suitability of the setting in Drummore to be able to provide an appropriate educational and social experience for the age and stage of the children seeking to attend”.

They added: “As the numbers were so low, it was agreed that the children’s needs would be better served at an alternative setting. Thereafter a timeline was agreed to ensure this information could be shared as soon as possible to support the families in making a second choice.”

Staff and three families involved were contacted on March 20.