Eddleston Primary School closure decision: letter to Scottish Borders Council

To: Lesley Munro, Scottish Borders Council
From: Alison Taylor, Governance, Digital and Infrastructure 

28 July 2026

Dear Lesley Munro, 

Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010: Scottish Borders Council – Eddleston Primary School

I refer to your email of 25 June 2026 notifying Scottish Ministers of Scottish Borders Council’s decision of 25 June 2026 to implement the proposal to close Eddleston Primary School and realign the catchment area with Kingsland 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 three-week period from the date that a closure decision is made. In relation to this closure proposal, the three-week period began on 25 June 2026 and expired on 15 July 2026. No representations were received.

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

Scottish Borders Council may now implement its decision to close Eddleston Primary School in line with the timescales set out in its proposal paper. As noted in HMIE’s report on the proposal, Scottish Borders Council should ensure that they continue to work with local community groups to consider community asset transfer.

Yours sincerely,

Alison Taylor

Deputy Director, Governance, Digital and Infrastructure Division
Education Directorate