‘Quiet year’ for School Closure Review Panels with no decisions challenged

No school closure decisions were reviewed in what has been a “quiet year”, according to the second School Closure Review Panels report.

Iain Nisbet, the convener of the School Closure Review Panels, submitted the report to the Scottish ministers as per the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010.

The report covers the exercise of the convener’s functions during 2016 and the exercise of the functions of any School Closure Review Panel which has carried out a review under the 2010 Act in that year.

Introducing the report, Mr Nisbet said: “This is the second year of operation for the School Closure Review Panels and it has been a quiet year, with no school closure decisions called in by Scottish ministers for review. However, the work of the office of convener continues, including the training of the pool of persons eligible to serve as members of a School Closure Review Panel.

“The decision of the first panel of last year was appealed. The Sheriff Court rejected that appeal, confirming both the panel’s decision and the approach they had taken. The decision is testament to the professionalism and rigour that the members of that Panel brought to their review functions. It is useful to have such an early judicial opinion on the panels’ role and we will continue to be guided by the Sheriff’s decision in future reviews.”