Back in January, we revealed a schools review had been mooted for this summer by Terry Lanagan, pictured, executive director of Educational Services.

Speaking at the time, he said: “The next challenge is the primary schools estate — we have 34 primary schools, to be frank that is too many for an authority the size of West Dunbartonshire.” However, we can now reveal the publication of any planned changes has been pushed back to the autumn. A spokeswoman for West Dunbartonshire Council (WDC) told the Reporter: “Proposals are currently being prepared on the future of the primary schools estate and will be presented to the Infrastructure and Regeneration Committee in the autumn. Any proposal to close or amalgamate schools would then require the agreement of the Educational Services Committee following a statutory consultation process. The next phase in the schools’ regeneration process will be part of the council’s ambitious investment programme to improve the quality of our physical assets and regenerate the local economy.” There was a mixed response to the idea of schools being closed or merged when we asked for your views on the Reporter’s Facebook page.

David Keown said: “With three Balloch schools in close proximity I dread the inevitable, an enormous merger with separate entrances for Roman Catholics and diverse or none faiths, separate staff rooms for teachers and assistants, redundant schools sold off to developers.” Some of you would prefer money to be spent on refurbishing the existing schools with Stacey-Nicole Fabiani saying: “Some of the schools aren’t large enough to cope with the population of children, some being crammed into classrooms too small to hold the kids.

“Spend the money on renovating some of the schools to accommodate the growing number rather than have another dispute on where to put a new merged building.” While others thought school mergers could be a good idea, with Mhairi Cowan commenting: “At the meeting a few years back, Haldane and St Kessog’s were ok with merging, it was Jamestown that didn’t want it. Surely as long as it’s in the best interest of the children it’s a good thing?”