Rural nurseries facing closure could be reprieved

A protest was held outside Scottish Borders Council last month

A council is to consider a reprieve for a string of rural nurseries which were facing closure.

The local authority in the Borders is to hold a special meeting to discuss proposals which would allow the sites to stay open for the next academic year.

The announcement came on the day when fresh protests were being held against the plans to mothball the facilities.

Scottish Borders Council (SBC) said it had made the move after "listening to many voices on our very small rural nursery provision".

The council voted in favour of taking the closure plans forward earlier this year after hearing that the nurseries were operating at 50% capacity or below and should be mothballed.

The local authority said the closest alternative provision was within an "acceptable distance" and promised consultation before any closures went ahead.

That prompted criticism from parents at the affected sites along with Slow Horses actor Jack Lowden - who grew up in the village of Oxton where Channelkirk nursery was facing closure.

A protest was held outside SBC headquarters last month and a further demonstration in Cockburnspath - one of the villages affected.

Now a motion will go before councillors on 9 May to "set aside" the executive committee's previous decision which could have seen the nurseries mothballed.

Instead, provision at Channelkirk, Cockburnspath, Ednam, Walkerburn and Yetholm would be maintained throughout the 2025/26 school year.

Executive member for education, Julie Pirone, said she was pleased that "innovative solutions" had been found.

She said removing the prospect of mothballing for the year could provide "certainty" for children and parents.

Concerns remain

Dr Alice Blackwell, who chairs Cockburnspath Parent Council, said they were delighted the council had recognised how "flawed" their approach to mothballing had been.

"While we welcome the direction of travel that this new proposal represents, we remain concerned," she added.

"Details on alternative models for nursery provision, including integrating nursery and primary school classes, are unclear.

"We remain concerned that compressed timeframes for the 2025/2026 academic year could still see change rushed through without proper consideration around what is best for our children."