Decision on Strachan Primary School closure: letter to Aberdeenshire Council

Decision letter to Aberdeenshire Council on 23 June 2021 regarding the school closure of Strachan Primary School.


Dear Laurence Findlay,

Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010: Aberdeenshire Council – Strachan Primary School

I refer to Rachel Goldring’s email of 30 April 2021 notifying Scottish Ministers of Aberdeenshire Council’s decision of 29 April 2021 to implement the proposal to close Strachan 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 3 week period began on 29 April 2021 and expired on 19 May 2021. No representations were received.

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

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

Yours sincerely,

Liza McLean

Interim Deputy Director, Learning Worforce, Infrastructure and Reform

Aberdeen Council: Strachan Primary School - June 2021
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