Discussions about planning and redevelopment proposals of a new school building in East Dunbarton are continuing.

However, an agreement has been put in place to restrict placing requests for both Primary Schools in Lenzie.

Lenzie Primary and Lenzie Moss Primary are being closed with a new school to be built on the Lenzie Moss Primary School site. Scheduled to open for 2016-2017, it will accommodate a roll of approximately 56 pupils in 20 classrooms.

Restrictions put in place are necessary to manage the school roll figures.

The size of the school is determined by long term projections, which show that the combined roll is expected to stay around this level over coming years.

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The current combined school roll is 578, with placing requests representing an average of 38% of the Primary 1 roll. For many years, both Lenzie Primary and Lenzie Moss Primary have been significantly under populated, which has led to large numbers of placing requests being granted. It has always been anticipated that roll capping may be necessary as a short term solution.

Councillor Eric Gotts, Convener of the Council's Education Committee, said: "Recent figures show that, even with placing requests, Lenzie Primary School is 20% below capacity with Lenzie Moss Primary School 26% under-occupied. This was, of course one of the factors which informed the Council's decision to create one new building for both school communities.

"With such high levels of placing requests being granted each year to children living out with the catchment area, it is very likely that to achieve the target roll, we will need to take measures now. Where necessary we will reduce the number of placing requests that are granted in the time before the new school opens."

(LM/CD)