Proposal to Close Milton of Balgonie Primary School & Rezone the Catchment Areas of Coaltown of Balgonie, Pitteuchar East and Thornton Primary Schools

THE FIFE COUNCIL www.fife.gov.uk

SCHOOLS (CONSULTATION) (SCOTLAND) ACT 2010 NOTICE OF STATUTORY CONSULTATION

On the proposal to close Milton of Balgonie Primary School and rezone the catchment areas of Coaltown of Balgonie, Pitteuchar East and Thornton Primary Schools

On 11 January 2024, the Cabinet Committee of Fife Council authorised the Education & Children’s Services Directorate to undertake a statutory consultation in terms of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 on the proposal to close Milton of Balgonie Primary School and rezone the catchment area of Coaltown of Balgonie Primary School to include all of the existing addresses within the Milton of Balgonie Primary School catchment area and to rezone the catchment areas of Coaltown of Balgonie, Pitteuchar East and Thornton Primary Schools.

If the proposal is approved, the closure of Milton of Balgonie Primary School and changes to Coaltown of Balgonie Primary School catchment area, and the changes to Pitteuchar East and Thornton Primary School catchment areas would take effect from Monday 19 August 2024.

A full copy of the Consultation Proposal and Consultation Response Form is available at www.fife.gov.uk/miltonofbalgonieprimary.

Printed copies are available on request, free of charge from:

•   Fife Council, Main Reception – Fife House, North Street, Glenrothes, KY7 5LT

•   The schools affected by the proposal:

–  Coaltown of Balgonie Primary School, School Road, Coaltown of Balgonie, KY7 6HY

–  Pitteuchar East Primary School, 1 Glamis Avenue, Glenrothes, KY7 4NU

–  Thornton Primary School, 65 Station Road, Thornton, KY1 4AY and

•   Auchmuty High School, Dovecot Road, Glenrothes, KY7 5JL

•   or via email to sustainableschoolestate.enquiries@fife.gov.uk

The statutory consultation period will commence on Wednesday 24 January 2024 and will end on Tuesday 12 March 2024.

You are invited to attend a public meeting* on the proposal to be held:

•   Coaltown of Balgonie Primary School on Monday 5 February 2024 from 6-7pm

•   Thornton Primary School on Monday 12 February 2024 from 6-7pm

•   Village Hall, Dickson Lane, Milton of Balgonie on Wednesday 21 February 2024 from 6-7pm

•   Pitteuchar East Primary School on Wednesday 28 February 2024 from 6-7pm

Informal drop-in sessions are also being held at:

•   Pitteuchar East Primary School on Tuesday 30 January 2024 from 8.45-9.30am

•   Coaltown of Balgonie Primary School on Monday 5 February 2024 from 5-6pm

•   Thornton Primary School on Monday 12 February 2024 from 8.45-9.30am

•   Thornton Primary School on Monday 12 February 2024 from 5-6pm

•   Village Hall, Dickson Lane, Milton of Balgonie on Wednesday 21 February 2024 from 5-6pm

•   Pitteuchar East Primary School on Wednesday 28 February 2024 from 5-6pm

To request a copy in another format or language contact the Education Service on 03451555555 ext. 444204.

You are invited to have your say on this proposal. You can attend a public meeting and/or you can make written representations:

•   To Milton of Balgonie Primary School, Education & Children’s Services Directorate, Fife Council, 4th Floor (West), Fife House, North Street, Glenrothes KY7 5LT

•   By e-mail to: sustainableschoolestate.enquiries@fife.gov.uk

•   By completing the Consultation Response Form available online at www.fife.gov.uk/miltonofbalgonieprimary

•   By emailing a completed consultation response form to: sustainableschoolestate.enquiries@fife.gov.uk

Printed copies of the Consultation Response Form will also be available at the public meetings, informal drop-in sessions, and from the schools and the council offices listed above.

The proposal details possible alternatives to the closure of Milton of Balgonie Primary School. After assessment, the Council does not consider those to be reasonable alternatives to the closure. You can make written representations on the proposal and to the alternatives included in the proposal paper. If you consider there are other alternatives to the proposal, you can include those alternatives in your written representations on the proposal.

In order to be taken into account, all views on the proposal in writing, by e-mail or by completion of the Consultation Response Form must arrive by close of business on Tuesday 12 March 2024.

Following the conclusion of the consultation period the Council will review the proposal and prepare a Consultation Report for consideration by a future Cabinet Committee of Fife Council. Further detail on this process is contained in the proposal paper. *This meets with requirements of the schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 in terms of a public meeting.