Wilton Centre closure decision: letter to Scottish Borders Council
Letter from Learning Directorate, to Scottish Borders Council, with decision to close the Wilton Centre.
To: Lesley Munro, Director of Education and Children Services, Scottish Borders Council
From: Orlando Mason, Deputy Director, Workforce, Infrastructure and Digital Learning Directorate
21 May 2025
Dear Lesley,
Schools (consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010: Scottish Borders Council - Wilton Centre
I refer to Maria Urie’s email of 27 March 2025 notifying Scottish Ministers of Scottish Borders Council’s decision of 27 March 2025 to implement the proposal to close the Wilton Centre in Hawick. 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 27 March 2025 and expired on 16 April 2025. 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 the Wilton Centre in line with the timescales set out in its proposal paper. As noted in Education Scotland’s report on the proposal, the Council should work with stakeholders to address the concerns raised during the consultation about provision at the secondary school level. This includes further development of nurturing approaches, more enhanced support through SEBN services, clarification on roles and responsibilities, improved referral processes, enhanced staff training and improved system wide tracking and monitoring.
Yours sincerely,
Orlando Mason
Deputy Director, Workforce, Infrastructure and Digital Learning Directorate
