Sutherland councillor’s motion offers hope for survival of Edderton Primary School earmarked for mothballing by Highland Council

A glimmer of hope has emerged for an Easter Ross village community fighting to prevent its local primary school from being mothballed – with a Highland councillor stepping up to press pause on the move.

Edderton Primary School, which has seen numbers dwindle to just two expected pupils for next year’s term, had been earmarked for closure by Highland Council if it couldn’t increase its roll.

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But an intervention from East Sutherland and Edderton councillor Jim McGillivray could now provide a lifeline – at least in the short term.

Edderton residents were left stunned after staff and parents were informed by the local authority that the school would close – despite no formal decision being taken as yet.

In a strongly worded letter sent to elected members, Edderton Community Council (ECC) members blasted the process, saying they felt “railroaded” by the decision and had only learned of it through “copies of emails distributed to other stakeholders”.

The letter accused officials of showing “a flagrant disregard of the democratic process” and claimed the consultation was “not being conducted in good faith”.

Now, all eyes are on June 2, when a motion tabled by Cllr McGillivray goes before the Sutherland County Committee.

Drawing on a precedent set in the case of Duror Primary in Lochaber, his proposal calls for mothballing plans to be scrapped for the coming academic year to allow time for a full review of possible increases in pupil numbers.

The motion reads: “In view of the precedent set at Duror Primary School, and since no formal decision has yet been taken by members, that this committee agrees that no mothballing of Edderton Primary School be pursued for the next academic session in order to allow time for a full evaluation of the potential increase in pupil numbers.”

Mr McGillivray has also filed the same motion for discussion at the education committee on June 4, where wider concerns over the communication process will be addressed.

“This does potentially represent some light at the end of the tunnel,” said ECC chair Gordon Allison.

“Councillor McGillivray is a long time friend of Edderton who attends our meetings without fail and has heard the concerns and frustrations expressed by locals.

“I sincerely believe that his motion is an opportunity for Highland Council to revisit what, at best, seems a flawed process and which might be able to reverse the decision, as happened in Lochaber with Duror Primary School.

“After the sensation of being railroaded without due process, we just have to hope that the light at the end of the tunnel is not that of an on-coming train but one of salvation.”

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