Council votes to close Gartly School
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Aberdeenshire Council has agreed to permanently close mothballed Gartly School.
Pupils have not attended the school since 2018 following an oil leak which, despite extensive remediation works to the contaminated soil, could not safely reopen to pupils.
At a meeting of Full Council last week – on Thursday, November 24 – councillors agreed to re-assign the Park Lane school’s catchment area to both Kennethmont School and Rhynie School.
This creates a dual zone allowing parents to select between one of these schools.
This concludes a lengthy process and statutory consultation in accordance with the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010.
Vice Chair of the Education and Children’s Services Committee Cllr Anne Simpson said: “It was important to our committee that we worked with parents, pupils and staff and considered all options available to us.
“Whilst a difficult decision, the changes to a larger school roll offers children from the Gartly School catchment area an increased opportunity in educational, cultural and sporting activities,
“Not only does this provide a number of benefits for children in terms of both academic and social development, but supports the process of transition towards the larger and more varied setting of secondary school.”
Following the decision to permanently close, the council will work with the community to explore future plans for the former school building and grounds, including use of the playing field.
Cllr Judy Whyte, chair of Full Council, said: “Any decision to close a school is not taken lightly and I thank our officers who have worked tirelessly to ensure every option was considered.
“I am also grateful to members of the community who shared their views either in the consultation, survey or at the public meeting.”
The council’s decision is now subject to a three-week call-in period, in which members of the public can make representatives to Scottish Ministers to review the decision.
This can be done by either emailing schoolclosure@gov.scot or writing to The Scottish Government, School Infrastructure Unit, 2A (South), Victoria Quay, Edinburgh, EH6 6QQ.
Any representations must be made to Scottish Ministers by 14 December 2022.
Aberdeenshire Council will not begin to implement their decision until confirmation has been received by the Scottish Government regarding any call in.
SNP Councillor for Huntly, Strathbogie and Howe of Alford, Gwyneth Petrie, said: “It was hugely disappointing to reach the point where the council voted to close Gartly School. Unfortunately, given the passage of time since the oil leak was discovered, we were left with little option.
“At every step of this process, the local members argued strongly for the option to retain the School to remain on the table, because it was clear how the community felt about this. Unfortunately, that decision was ultimately taken out of our hands.
“The focus of the council now has to be on working with the community to decide on the future for the building and the site. At full council last week, I secured a commitment from council officers to reinstate the playing field to a useable state, and to keep it useable, while decisions on the site are made. This is the least the community deserve for the upheaval and hurt caused by this process, which could have been avoided.”
