Midlothian Council has admitted that some of the arguments used to push for the closure of Cousland Primary School are flawed.

Parents at the school also believe that the local authority is basing its arguments on data six years out of date.

Confirmation has been received by parents from education director Donald MacKay that information in the consultation document, the strategic asset management report, was inaccurate regarding the assessment of the school's condition.

Cousland school board member Dr Billy Lumsden said: "We are delighted that the council has admitted that the information put forward as part of the case for closure of Cousland Primary School was inaccurate.

"However, Mr MacKay has so far, only acknowledged the reference to the external windows and doors and there were many other inaccuracies and we will continue to call for their retraction.

"The original document also had no reference to the quality of teaching, which is currently very high at our rural schools. Indeed just last week the council's cabinet congratulated Cousland following a glowing report from HM Inspector of Schools.

Dr Lumsden continued: "The school board also has a copy of the property condition survey carried out by external consultants for Midlothian Council, which appears to form the basis of the council's proposals. This report was carried out six years ago.

"This might explain why the references to the condition of the building bear little resemblance to the school today which has benefited substantially from the upgrade work highlighted in 1998," he added.

Children from Howgate Primary took the campaign against the proposed closure of their school to the home of the First Minister last week.

Ten pupils called at Bute House to invite Jack McConnell to visit their school to see for himself the level of education offered.

Parents are disputing the arguments being used to close Howgate highlighting the number of computers in school and the range of activities the pupils are involved in.

Five public meetings are to be held in Midlothian as part of the consultation exercise into the proposed educational reforms.

The council has set down 28 days for comments to be submitted in writing. The consultation period will end on Friday April 16.

The meetings, over the coming two weeks, will start in Penicuik High School on Monday March 22. This meeting with cover the proposals affecting Eastfield, Ladywood, Cuiken and Howgate Primaries, and Strathesk and Cuikenburn Nurseries.

On Tuesday March 23, there will be a meeting in the Greenhall Centre, Gorebridge. This meeting will discuss the proposals for Gorebridge, Stobhill, Borthwick and Temple Primaries.

The meeting at the Dalkeith Schools Community Campus on Thursday March 25 will cover the plans for Woodburn, Cousland, Pathhead and Cranston Primary Schools and Thornybank Nursery School.

At St Mary's Primary, Bonnyrigg, on Monday March 29, a meeting to discuss the proposals for St Margaret's, Loanhead and Bonnyrigg Primaries and Cockpen Nursery School.

The final meeting will be held at Newbattle High School on Tuesday March 30 covering Bryans and Langlaw Primary Schools.

All meetings will be from 7pm to 8.30pm.

The campaign to save the five Midlothian primary schools earmarked for closure has been launched by television celebrities Justin Ryan and Colin McAllister.

The interior designers, who have just signed a two year deal with Five, helped parents and children to officially launch the Midlothian Rural Schools Action Group and the website www.mrsag.org.uk on Monday.

The television personalities are backing the campaign as Justin's sister Colette Pemberton lives in Middleton and his niece Lucy and nephew Elliot both attend threatened Borthwick Primary.

In a joint statement, Justin and Colin said: "The council proposals do not appear to have addressed or suggested any other options other than closure. The timescales involved mean that the proposals are being railroaded through without due consideration.

"No thought has been given to the wider implications of the effect on the villages and communities involved. They had come here today to give their support to the campaign to save all the schools involved and to highlight the inadequate time given for discussion and consultation.

Around 100 children, parents and members of the community braved the torrential rain to attend the launch.

The parents and children of Borthwick, Temple, Cousland, Cranston and Howgate, thanked Justin and Colin for their support in the fight against the closure.

Representatives from the five Midlothian schools faced with closure have met to co-ordinate their campaign.

Meeting in Cousland, representatives from Borthwick, Temple, Howgate and Cranston Primary schools discussed the local authority's plans under the strategic asset management report, which is out to consultation until April 16.

Following the meeting Dr Billy Lumsden, school board member at Cousland, said: "The clear message coming from the meeting was in relation to both the negative impact on our communities, and the speed with which the council appears to be railroading the closure plans.

"The fact that the last two weeks of the consultation falls within the Easter break, when all schools will be closed and many parents away, raises fears that there is more than meets the eye to the reasons the council is giving for earmarking these schools for closure. Each school, on its own merit, has strong grounds to contest the proposals and collectively we want to make sure that all councillors, who will be involved in the decision making process, are fully aware of the correct facts. The report currently to consultation contains many inaccuracies there also appears to be absolutely no consideration given to the quality of teaching, which is currently very high at our rural schools.

"It is of real concern that where councillors and education officials have met with local school boards or support groups recently, those most affected by these proposals are left with more unanswered questions than answers. I would urge all rural communities in and around the schools to unite and use the public meetings to seek clarification on all the factors influencing the council's proposals to close the schools which lie at the very heart of each community.

Further to the second article dated Thursday February 26, concerning the changes in Midlothian's primary education, I would like to take this opportunity to express my concerns about the council's proposals involving the closure of five rural schools.

As a former pupil of Cranston Primary School, having left in 1996, I feel that I can understand the benefits of a rural education for rural children. The solidarity of the schools through their small size brings pupils of all ages together, which is important in a rural community and in my case certainly made primary school very enjoyable.

When I was at Cranston, it was threatened with closure due to a short-term drop in the number of pupils. However the fact that the school then went on to require an extra teacher indicates that is well liked and valued within the community.

In rural schools such as these, the style of teaching can be more personal due to the smaller size of the school; this can often be beneficial to many pupils' education. To move them to larger schools will not only negatively affect them, but also the schools to which they are sent, as the classes will most certainly be larger and of a different nature which may well compromise the education for both the pupils who are re-located and the pupils who are currently at the primary schools to which they are to be moved.

Owing to the fact that the rural schools take in pupils from the surrounding area they are a large part of the community spirit in rural Midlothian. To close them and relocate the pupils in more urban areas, I feel, would have an adverse affect on the rural community.

Since the sale of the Cranston Church hall, the school buildings have become the one place in which the rural community can hold events, one example being WRI meetings. Without access to these buildings there will be no place for the local community to come together.

People should be aware that these proposals will affect more than just those who have children at the schools concerned.

I am concerned that Midlothian Council's decision to either close or merge these primary schools is purely for economic reasons and they have not seriously considered the interests of the pupils.

A reader comments on the front page that her children will spend a good part of their day travelling to and from school if they are moved. There is also a suggestion that the pupils will temporarily be housed in portable buildings. Unfortunately we have seen in the past how these temporary arrangements can become almost permanent. Do parents really want their children educated in portable buildings?

Midlothian Council should remember that it has a duty not only to its urban, but also to its rural voters. It should attempt to balance economy and efficient use of resources with diversity and good governance. I believe it is failing to do this.

We are all too aware of the apparent intention of Midlothian Council to close five primary schools. (Borthwick, Cousland, Cranston, Howgate and Temple).

The level of insensitivity to local communities is breathtaking. Our local communities are under siege already. Post office closures and the steady erosion of local amenities are slowly destroying our most valuable asset - the communities themselves.

The council should be striving to find ways to keep schools and other amenities open in order to support and strengthen those communities. Instead commercial advantage is put first. Profit before people. Cash before communities.

It is not acceptable. It is not what our councillors were elected for. Let no-one be under any misapprehension that this action by the council is anything other than the sale and asset stripping of existing school buildings to finance their discredited PPP policy.

Labour's PPP policy is merely making profits for private business. They are a serious drain on the public purse. We are all paying dearly to enable Labour to hand out fat contracts to their big business buddies.

The SNP is absolutely against PPP and would make use of Not for Profit Trusts. This would result in the required level of investment but profits would be reinvested back into the communities instead of paying out to private shareholders and, most importantly, control would remain within the communities.

It is quite simply inappropriate use of taxpayers' money to create profits for big business. Our hard-earned tax cash should stay within our communities and work for our benefit.

It is not our intention to try to hijack the inevitable backlash over these closures for political purposes.

Let me just say that Midlothian SNP stands behind those members of the public who have taken up the fight to retain their schools and will assist in any way useful - whether formally or informally.

Until Scotland can run its own affairs, like a normal country, we are going to continue to have London policies foisted on to us. This school's closure is a direct consequence. It is time we in Scotland made our own decisions as to how we want to shape our communities.

Further to your articles on the closure of Midlothian rural schools.

Presumably Midlothian Council had a reason for choosing the village of Temple to promote Midlothian on the front of their Council Tax colour brochure.

Noticeably, the photograph of the villages shows no people. Perhaps this is how Midlothian would prefer rural areas to look - no children, no families, just a lovely little piece of Scottish history that tourists can visit and imagine what it must have been like when it had a school, a nursery and a village hall.

The 28 day consultation period between the council, parents and residents has already begun despite many parents still to receive formal notice of Midlothian's proposals.

TWO meetings in Penicuik next week will give local people the chance to air their views on Midlothian Council plans for the future.

At 7 p.m. next Monday, March 22, the Education Division's consultation on the plans for local schools will be held in Penicuik High School.

Two days later, also in Penicuik High School at 7 p.m., the new-look Community Forum will be dealing with sports and leisure and community learning and development at a meeting to be chaired by Councillor Jack Aitchison, Midlothian Council's Cabinet Member for Leisure, Recreation and Sport

Councillor Aitchison, said: "Our community forum is designed to bring everyone together from throughout Midlothian to discuss these services and get your views on what really matters in these areas.

"This is a great opportunity for anyone who wants to have their say on the development and delivery of sport and leisure services and community learning and development to come along and have their opinions heard."