Clydesdale rural schools saved from closure

A consultation period, which was to begin this month, has been

abandoned and public meetings, due to take place on October 19 and 21 in Abington and Symington, have also been shelved.

A local councillor also told the Gazette that a meeting of the

council's executive committee is due to take place on October 20 when a proposal will be put forward to rescind the committee's decision, which took place last month.

The move has been widely welcomed by politicians and the local communities alike.

The consultation period, which was due to finish in March, was in regards to the closure of eight schools.

Primary schools in Abington, Crawford, Crawfordjohn and Leadhills were to be amalgamated into one school on the site of the current Abington Primary while another 'super school' was to be created on the current Tinto Primary site with pupils from that school being joined by pupils from Lamington, Coulter and Libberton primaries.

Another consultation period – due to begin in March – could have resulted in Bent and Blackwood Primary merging as well as schools in Carstairs and Carstairs Junction.

For more information on this story - and more on the council cuts war of words - pick up a copy of this week's Carluke and Lanark Gazette.