The question of why Midlothian Council proposed to close Cranston Primary just a few months shy of its 200th birthday will be one for the ages.

For a time capsule containing a copy of February's shock council paper was buried in the school grounds last week, along with school uniforms, photographs, letters from pupils past and present, modern toys and a recent school project on the history of Edgehead and the school.

During this project, it was discovered that the school is one of two remaining places which carries the Cranston name. The other is Cranstoun Church.

Oxenfoord Castle – which dates back to the 12th century – was originally called Cranstoun Castle.

The school was due to celebrate its bicentennial in September but celebrations were brought forward in light of its uncertain future.

Cranston also recently held its annual Easter Egg Hunt at Edgehead Park. Showing his support for the school was Edinburgh Gunners and Scotland scrum half Graham Burns, a former pupil.

Cranston parent Carol Eccles said: "I'm not against progress at all, but closing a school which functions perfectly well and has commendable staff and facilities seems ludicrous.

"The school is a key focal point in the village. Families move here for the beauty of the area and the fact children can walk down the road to the school is a bonus."

Local shopkeeper Ann Gough said: "Just about everyone who comes into the shop tells me of their dismay that the school might be closed.

"In all the years we have been here we have never had a subject capture the hearts of locals as much as this.

"My grandson goes to Cranston and I often go to the school for assemblies and presentations.

"I cannot think of one good reason why this lovely school needs to be closed."

Midlothian MSP Rhona Brankin has been slammed by Midlothian councillors and told to "back off" by Peter Boyes, cabinet member for education and lifelong learning.

The comments were made at Tuesday's cabinet meeting regarding her stance against the proposed rural school closures.

Councillor Boyes said: "It is amazing that we are being seen as the bad guys in relation to this programme. That we are getting now is complete interference from the member of the Scottish Parliament for the area."

Mr Boyes argued that the Ms Brankin should have raised questions in the Parliament about how the funding gap for the council could be met.

He said: "I am getting to the annoyance stage with her. She is undermining what we are trying to achieve and that is the best in education. I say to her now "back off" and let her local government get on with it."

Councillor Derek Milligan, cabinet member for commercial services, agreed and said: "I think we should be clear here. We are in this position because the Scottish Executive allowed us to go down the PPP road. We have to look at this through educational interest and what's best for the youngsters in the schools."

Councillor Russell Imrie said: "I think it's terribly disappointing when you read in the press her having a go at us."

He said the council had hard choices to make but it would not have to make them if the Scottish Executive provided the funding.

The decision to extend the consultation period to April 30 was officially taken at the meeting.

Ms Brankin told the Advertiser: "I have been inundated with correspondence from concerned parents and local residents on this issue and I make no apology for reflecting their legitimate concerns over the future of their local schools.

"I would be failing in my duty as the local MSP if I didn't highlight the concerns which many local people have about the current proposals.

"I have made it very clear from day one that the decision will be for Midlothian Council to make, acting within the framework of the Education (Scotland) Act 1981 an the Standards in Scotland's School etc Act 2000, which puts a duty on councils to secure improvements in education."

In less than two months the small villages of Midlothian have risen as one, in opposition to the proposal to close the five village schools of Howgate, Temple, Borthwick, Cranston and Cousland.

The three public meetings where the proposed closure of village schools was discussed were attended by at least 800 Midlothian residents who, along with our councillors, heard constructive and serious representations from the affected schools and their communities. Thousands of Midlothian residents have signed a petition against the closure of the rural schools

Our aim, throughout this unusually short period of consultation, has been to highlight the inaccurate and false justification for the closure of the village schools in the Director of Education's proposals and point out that our village schools provide an excellent educational experience for children at the heart of our village communities.

They also offer parents throughout Midlothian the extremely valuable option to choose small school environment if they feel it suits the needs of their children.

The council's historical support for Midlothian's village schools is recognised and appreciated by our small village communities - every one of which now faces a growth in housing stock and population. To suddenly withdraw that support now and close these local schools which help bind their communities together would be starting something in Scotland which the Labour Government are, through legislation, halting in England – the wholesale decline of local village services, of which the village primary school is central.

Some 20 years ago I attended a public meeting in Woodburn Miners' club where the speaker with great wit and powerful arguments, rubbished proposals to remove the heart of communities on the basis of one-sided, inaccurate and unprofessional assessments of their current state and future potential. The speaker, if I remember correctly was Mr Dennis Skinner MP – appealing for the case of the miners' and their communities against wholesale pit closures.

Unlike Midlothian's miners and their communities in the 80's, who had the combined forces of the employer government, state and national media against them, we only have a single draft document to amend in order to defend the heart of Midlothian's small village communities. I am certain that Midlothian council members, when they reject the proposed closure of the village schools, will be able to look back in pride at their decision in 20 years time, when they see thriving local communities with the village primary schools at their centre.

As a lifelong Labour voter I would urge our councillors to reject the Director of Education's proposals to sacrifice the village schools for the sake of a small financial contribution to the proposed PPP financing of six new primary schools.

He has already advised parents, in his letter of March 29 that major parts of the consultation documents (the proposed two new schools to be built from capital funding and the suggested seven new schools to be built at some time in the future from housing developer funding) have been removed from the consultation process.

It is surely time now to also remove the proposal to close the village schools and re-focus the council's strategy to build the new schools at the heart of our bigger communities without doing damage to our smaller communities in the process.

Kevin Holmes
Chairperson 1997-2002
Cousland Village Hall Association