A furious row has erupted over the future of rural schools in Aberdeenshire.
The war of words was sparked between two rival Westminster candidates amid claims the new Conservative-Lib Dem council coalition in the region will review a number of schools where the roll has fallen well below capacity.
The spat came after the authority’s leader Jim Gifford previously argued there would have to be a “grown-up discussion” about the school estate in the future.
The SNP’s candidate for Gordon, Alex Salmond, has accused Councillor Colin Clark, who is also contesting the seat, of a series of “contradictory statements” at election hustings this past week.
Mr Salmond, standing up for rural schools, said: “It comes as no surprise to me whatsoever that my Tory rival is running scared and twisting and turning over the exposure of his party’s threat to rural schools.
“After all, he is a councillor and has already voted with his Tory colleagues this February to cut the Aberdeenshire education budget by £3.2 million. That cut would have hit classroom assistants, music tuition and special education if it had not been stopped by the SNP.”
Mr Salmond claims that a debate in Huntly on Tuesday saw Mr Clark confirming a review of rural schooling would take place, but then contradicted this the following evening in Inverurie.
However, Mr Clark hit back at Mr Salmond last night, accusing him of scaremongering.
He said: “Alex Salmond is exploiting an opportunity to frighten parents.
“There is absolutely no plan to close rural schools or any other schools. It is a major part of the council to manage schools and to review them.
“We need to review the rolls in the areas, the development plans in the areas, but there are categorically no plans to close rural schools.”
