Aberdeenshire councillors have thrown out plans to cap the school roll of one of the region’s most rural primaries.
The Marr area committee ditched proposals to limit Towie School, near Alford, to 50 pupils.
The roll at the two-classroom primary is due to peak at 45 in 2016 and drop to 36 by 2019.
The committee requested the council’s education service rethink options for Towie School after locals parents raised concerns about neighbouring Lumsden Primary’s rising roll.
The proposals were put forward as a “short term interim solution” that would allow the council to “manage the pressure on the core facility of the building”.
In-zone pupils, who exceeded the cap during the 2016-17 terms, would have been moved to Strathdon, Lumsden and Alford primaries under the changes, with transport provided by the council.
But Aboyne, Upper Deeside and Donside councillors Katrina Farquhar, Peter Argyle and Geva Blackett were united against the proposed changes.
Liberal Democrat, Mr Argyle, said capping pupil numbers at 50 would “not be a very good solution”, adding it could result in pupils from the Towie catchment attending different schools.
He added: “Issues at Lumsden Primary means there has been more than usual numbers enrolling in Towie which means there is a pressure on space.
“Although the paper said it is just for a year, there is a no guarantee that the pressure on space and numbers won’t still be there next year or the year after that.”
SNP member, Mrs Blackett, said: “A large number of parents expressed concern at the capping proposal and so I moved that a further paper be brought to the Marr area committee.
“This would consider all the options before asking us to make any recommendations to the council’s education, learning and leisure committee.”
