THE council leader has claimed a survey that enraged parents will now NOT be considered by the SNP administration as they decide on the future of St Martin’s Primary School.

Informal consultation was requested from parents in a recent letter from chief education officer Laura Mason, stating that “due to the low number of pupils at St Martin’s, a new build school would not be an option”.

But this stunned St Martin’s families currently fighting for either a new school build on, or close to, their existing site, or to be included on a new campus proposed for Renton.

According to Drew MacEoghainn, who has a child in primary 3 at the school, parents had previously been assured that “every option would be on the table” ahead of the education committee’s meeting in June.

The dad-of-two told the Reporter the shock letter left parents “with no faith” in West Dunbartonshire Council’s education department.

But following the parents’ outcry, Councillor Jonathan McColl slammed the survey as “flawed”, and claimed neither he or the convener had been consulted on its detail.

Speaking about the letter, Mr MacEoghainn said: “I have absolutely no faith in any independent report coming back.

“We have no faith that the education department will do this in an independent, honest and open manner.

“They are leading the SNP by the nose. There’s no reason for not giving St Martin’s a school.

“We were told that every option would be on the table come the June meeting. We then received this disaster of a letter.

“This flies in the face of what we were told. How can we have any trust?”

The council leader echoed the parents’ concern about some of the letter’s wording, claiming that they will now have the opportunity to meet with the administration to express their views.

“Had officers run it past us it would not have been sent out in its current form. While I recognise this is an informal consultation survey, I share parents’ concerns with some of the wording,” he said.

“Having now seen this survey and raised my concerns with both the chief executive and chief education officer, I can confirm that it will be for members of the educational services committee to decide how to proceed.

“I would add that the survey is flawed to the extent that the administration will not be taking any of the results from it into account. Instead we will attend meetings with parents to hear their views directly."

And Cllr McColl confirmed that, come the council’s education meeting, it will be up to members of the educational services committee to make the final call.

A spokesperson for the council said engagement is taking place with the St Martin’s school community and a report outlining every potential option will be presented to the educational committee.