A Stewartry school will continue to be mothballed for another two years.
But councillors have questioned the length of time for the stay of execution for Carsphairn Primary.
The school closed in 2019 when the final two pupils left and has been lying empty for a further two years.
A report for Tuesday’s meeting of the education committee revealed officials felt there should be a “further mothballing period of up to two years” as the community had “aspirations for growth” and was looking to improve housing.
However, Councillor Linda Dorward said: “I totally understand why the community would want some time to look at housing and raise that case to increase the population but there doesn’t seem to be any progress on that at the moment.
“Why a further two years? Could we shorten the period for consultation and kick it off in a year’s time unless there is any vast material change in circumstances?”
School estate specialist Louise Rae, who wrote the report, said legislation meant the closure process couldn’t be started again within a five year period – which would have passed when the mothballing period ends – to “protect the school community”.
Councillor Dorward said: “We’re mothballing something for two years. I’m not quite getting to what end apart from the statutory process.”
She also pointed out that the report revealed the “vast majority” of children in the Carsphairn catchment area were happy to stay at Dalry Primary.
Ms Rae said the engagement process with parents would begin immediately to establish how many children could potentially go back.
In the next academic year, it is thought as many as 12 children could be in the catchment area – but Ms Rae said their parents might choose to send them elsewhere, adding any school with a roll of 10 or less could be considered for mothballing.
The school sits in the ward of Dee and Glenkens councillor, Dougie Campbell, who said: “I feel passionately we should do everything we can to help sustain small, rural communities but also we need to give careful consideration to the education of our young people.
“A community recognises a school is very important for the future - if there’s a school it might bring in young families, if there’s not it might not.
Councillors agreed to go with the recommendation to extend the mothballing period for two years.
