Councillors vote to push ahead with plans to mothball seven nurseries in the Scottish Borders
Last updated 15th Apr 2025
Councillors have voted to push ahead with plans to mothball seven nursery schools in the Scottish Borders - despite protests from parents.
But the local authority insists no final decision will be made until local communities have been consulted and a detailed report is brought back to a future meeting of the full council.
Around 60 people - young and old alike - from communities across the region converged on SBC headquarters in Newtown St Boswells for today's Executive meeting, armed with placards and chanting "Save our nurseries!"
It's believed to be the biggest public demonstration ever staged against the local authority in more than 20 years.
WATCH: Click on the link below to view our video from today's event...
Three Conservative councillors - Leagh Douglas, Tom Weatherston and Simon Mountford - were listening, and rebelled against their own administration’s proposals.
However, three SNP councillors - Marshall Douglas, Fay Sinclair and Elaine Thornton-Nicol - voted in support of the officer recommendations, after an amendment was made which it's claimed will give parents more of a voice in the process.
It meant another amendment by independent councillor David Parker - which would have ensured the seven nurseries under-threat remained open for at least another year - was defeated by nine votes to seven.
Channelkirk, Cockburnspath, Ednam, Fountainhall, Walkerburn, Westruther and Yetholm are all said to be operating at half their capacity or less, and within seven miles of a suitable alternative.
A four week consultation will now take place with affected communities, in a bid to save the local authority £400,000.
WATCH: "There were all sorts of strange alliances in that council chamber..."
Reacting to the announcement, local Conservative MP John Lamont told Greatest Hits Radio: "It's outrageous - absolutely outrageous!
"I've sat through that meeting watching utter chaos unfold, as those councillors squabbled over the future of these nurseries.
"I was sitting with the parents - they had no idea what was going on. It is just so disappointing that they've decided to start the process for consulting to mothball, and potentially close these nurseries.
"It is utterly the wrong decision and I am so angry about this, I just cannot believe the councillors voted in this way."
WATCH: Famous actor adds his voice to a campaign to save rural nurseries in the Scottish Borders...
Equally furious was local SNP MSP Christine Grahame, who was among 40 members of the public who packed into the public gallery to watch the proceedings unfold.
"I feel anger and disappointment," she said. "There was an opportunity to accept the amendment, which would have said: Pause this, do nothing until October. And come back with a clean sheet of paper and start again. And it was rejected by the majority.
"I'm with the parents, and we just keep campaigning. And make sure that whatever they do now, they change their tune at Scottish Borders Council about this. It doesn't matter what they've said in the council today, parent power is much bigger."
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