Primary schools face fresh closure threat

A NUMBER of primary schools across Edinburgh again face the threat of closure, as the city council attempts to fill a £10 million black hole in its budget.

The move comes after a controversial consultation about axing 22 schools and nurseries was scrapped following an SNP rebellion.

City chiefs have drawn up a new hit-list of 13 primaries facing the axe, but have reprieved three secondary schools originally earmarked for closure.

A special council forum, set up to review the city's school estate, yesterday decided the primary schools would be examined with a view to closure because of "significant" falls in school rolls.

Schools on the list most likely to face closure are those with the fewest pupils such as Bonnington.

Proposed city-wide closures of 22 schools announced last year incensed parents, who stormed a council meeting, and pupils, who went on strike.

The education department overspent by 8.6 million in 2006, largely because of growing demand for services for vulnerable youngsters. It emerged last June that the council faced a 10 million budget deficit.

But after pressure from SNP ministers at Holyrood, Nationalist coalition members withdrew their support, infuriating their Liberal Democrat coalition partners who were then forced to ditch the list.

Now, news that more schools – all of which were on the original list – are earmarked for closure is likely ignite the protests.

The cross-party forum met for the third time yesterday but councillors and parent representatives were sworn to secrecy and banned from revealing details.

Recommendations from the group will ultimately be submitted to the council's education committee.

Gillian Tee, children and families director of the council, said: "

For now, we need to concentrate on primary schools where pupil numbers have already fallen sharply."

Tina Woolnough, of Parents in Partnership, which has campaigned to save the schools, said parents still feared a major sell-off of buildings to recoup finances.

She said: "There is ongoing concern, suspicion and uncertainty that they will pick off the most vulnerable schools which don't have the most vocal parents. No-one is intransigent that there should never be closures but people have to be offered a decent, thought-out alternative."

HIT-LIST

• Abbeyhill

• Bonnington

• Burdiehouse

• Craigentinny

• Dalmeny

• Drumbrae

• Hillwood

• Lismore

• St Cuthbert's

• St Catherine's

• Stockbridge

• Victoria

• Westburn