Schools at risk as council attempts to make £35m saving

Schools across the Stewartry could be under threat due to budget cuts.

- STUART GILLESPIE

And Castle Douglas Art Gallery could also be in line for the axe.

They're among a string of options the public is being asked about as part of a consultation on next year’s budget.

The council needs to make around £35 million of savings over the next three years, meaning tough decisions must be made.

The webpage for the budget consultation, which launched on Friday, states: “Importantly, this £35 million shortfall does not include any indicative council tax increases tentatively planned for 2026/27 and 2027/28.

“Even with those increases, a significant funding gap remains.

“These challenges are not unique to Dumfries and Galloway - councils across Scotland are facing similar pressures caused by inflation, rising costs and increasing demand for services across large rural areas.

The current threshold for mothballing a school is if it falls below 10 pupils or less. Changing that threshold to 25 pupils or less failed to make the cut in last year's budget.

This time around there are three options to “consult on school closures” - the most extreme of which would be schools with 50 pupils or less.