What consultation local authorities are required to undertake among local communities before closing nursery and primary schools.

Currently local authorities are required to follow a range of statutory procedures set out in the Education (Publication and Consultation Etc.) (Scotland) Regulations, 1981 as amended. If proposing to close a school, they must engage in a formal consultation process, lasting a minimum of 28 days.
This government is legislating through the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Bill to update and strengthen consultation practices, in order to improve their coherence, openness and transparency, to extend the consultation period and range of required consultees and to improve public confidence and trust in the whole consultation and decision making processes.