Consultation on the future of a rural school will finally begin in the autumn – more than three years after the building was closed.
Carsphairn Primary was mothballed in the summer of 2019 after the last pupils left.
The council started a consultation on its closure in March 2020 – but then the pandemic unfolded and halted any progress.
Education bosses are now aiming to revive the process and a report on the timescale has been produced for councillors meeting on Tuesday.
In it, John Thin, the head of education, said: “The impact of Covid-19 has significantly limited our ability to consult on the proposal fully and effectively, due to the requirements to avoid contacts within our schools and communities.
“Officers now seek to provide the local, affected community with a degree of certainty on the timescales for commencement of the consultation.”
It is being suggested that a proposal paper is published by the end of August, with a six-week consultation period commencing in September.
During that time a public meeting would be scheduled, followed by a three-week period when the Chief Inspector of Education would consider representations.
A report with the details of the consultation would then be published at the end of the year, with the council finalising its intention for the Carsphairn Primary in January or February 2023.
However, the Scottish Government will have the final say.
At the moment children who live in or move into Carsphairn go to Dalry Primary around 10 miles away.
Last year, Carsphairn Community Council members complained that parents wanted to send their kids to the local school but were not able to do so.
Chairwoman Liz Holmes said: “People cannot enrol their children. How can we get it up and running again and show there are children who could be taught they if they are not being allowed to enrol?
“It is a Catch 22. We have another family that has moved into the village that wants to enrol and we expect more people to move into the community.
“The school is important for the viability of the community. If we can start small, even if we can get the nursery open, it gives us the possibility to grow.”
