Perth and Kinross Council has “sacrificed” the community of Blairingone by closing the primary school, according to a local representative.
Councillors on the lifelong learning committee voted on Wednesday to start the process that will see the school consigned to the history books.
They were told the school was already operating at just 28 per cent of capacity, with only five pupils, and this was likely to drop to just 16 per cent in August.
However, Cllr Richard Watters, who represents Kinross-shire, described the decision as “regrettable”.
He added: “The Schools Consultation Act (2010) clearly states that the presumption is to keep rural schools open. The Act also gives clear guidance that the likely effect on the local community (assessed in accordance with section 12(4)) in consequence of such implementation.
“The effect of closing Blairingone School on the community will be considerable. Blairingone is on the periphery of Perth and Kinross and has already lost its pub, village hall, church and shop.
“The community should not be sacrificed as part of an austerity-driven agenda by a Tory/Lib Dem administration and the closure of the school will put at risk any new development within the village.
“Any consultation on closure is very much to be regretted.”
The decision to close the school split the committee on Wednesday.
Kinross-shire ward Cllr Mike Barnacle made a plea to the committee to keep the school open.
He said: “Throughout the time I have been a councillor for Kinross-shire, since 1999, I have campaigned to preserve the school in Blairingone.
“This is a community which has lost its church, inn, post office and village hall. The school is the last community facility remaining. Blairingone is a community which requires re-ignition, not regression.”
Both he and fellow independent councillor Xander McDade said developments in the area could see the school roll recover.
But Sheena Devlin, director of education and children’s services at PKC, told the committee the school roll had been in decline since the 1990s, and that there is a “series of ifs” surrounding developments.
Committee convener Cllr Caroline Shiers admitted that nobody wants to make the decision to close a school, and pointed out that they were continuing the school estates review which was started by the previous SNP administration.
The motion to move the closure process to the consultation stage, which is hoped to make an annual saving of £85,000, was carried by nine votes to five.
Pupils will move to Fossoway Primary School, four and a half miles along the road.
