Roy Bridge Primary School closure decision: letter to Highland Council

Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010: Highland Council - Roy Bridge Primary School 

I refer to your letter of 28 October 2022 notifying Scottish Ministers of Highland Council’s decision of 27 October 2022 to implement the proposal to close Roy Bridge Primary School. Ministers have considered this proposal in line with the requirements set out in the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 (“the 2010 Act”). 

Under section 17 of the 2010 Act, Ministers may only issue a call-in notice if it appears to them that the education authority may have failed: 

(a) in a significant regard to comply with the requirements imposed on it by (or under) the Act so far as they are relevant in relation to the closure proposal, or 

(b) to take proper account of a material consideration relevant to its decision to implement the proposal. 

Section 15(2) of the 2010 Act requires an education authority to provide a copy of the proposal paper and the consultation report prepared under the Act to Ministers when notifying them of a closure proposal.

Section 15(4) of the 2010 Act requires Ministers to take into account any relevant representations made to them by any person during the 3 week period from the date that a closure decision is made. In relation to this closure proposal, the three week period began on 27 October 2022 and expired on 16 November 2022. One representation was received.

Having reviewed the documents provided by Highland Council under section 15(2) and considered all relevant representations made under section 15(4), Ministers consider that Highland Council has fulfilled its obligations under the 2010 Act and do not intend to issue a call-in notice for this proposal.

Highland Council may now implement its decision to close Roy Bridge Primary School in line with the timescales set out in its proposal paper. 

As noted in the Education Scotland report, in taking forward the proposal to close Roy Bridge Primary School, Highland Council should work with the community to explore how to 
make best use of the former Roy Bridge Primary School. 

Yours sincerely,

Sam Anson
Deputy Director, Workforce, Infrastructure and Digital
Learning Directorate