PARENTS campaigning against the potential school closures in Clackmannanshire are set to address a council committee next week.

The people committee will meet at Kilncraigs next Tuesday where a parent from each of Coalsnaughton and Fishcross primary schools will speak on behalf of the respective parent councils who handed in petitions to keep the schools open last week.

Kari Smith, Fishcross Parent Council, and Cheryl Hughes, Coalsnaughton Parent Council, are both nominated as principal petitioners and have been invited to explain the reasons behind their campaigns to keep their children's schools open.

According to council papers, the Fishcross petition amassed a total of 1,575 signatures with 596 of those coming online and "a number" of signatures discounted for living outwith Clackmannanshire.

Coalsnaughton's petition fared slightly better, garnering a total of 2,094 signatures, 702 of which were given online. Like Fishcross, some signatures were disregarded for not being from within the Wee County.

A description given with the document reads: "Coalsnaughton Primary School has been at the heart of our community for generations. Clackmannanshire Council has put forward a proposal in their budget consultation to close our lovely school.

"Our children's education should be their absolute priority and that means keeping education local and accessible.

"Failure to do so will be letting down the children of this community, the staff and the parents and carers."

It emerged last week that education spokesman, Graham Lindsay, had contacted both parent councils to say that SNP council administration would not be considering the schools for closure after all, although some parents were left unconvinced by the pledge.

Kari said it was "promising" but urged caution as she said she would not take what councillor Lindsay said "as gospel".

Dawn Haddow, Coalsnaughton, was in a more buoyant mood, however, adding that she had received congratulatory calls from a number of councillors which commended the parent council for their hard work.

She told the Advertiser last week: "We are just so delighted that our hard work has paid off and our great wee school will remain the heart of the community."

After hearing from Kari and Cheryl, the committee, which is made up of eight councillors and three local religious figures, will consider what they have heard and respond within a week.

Council leader Ellen Forson echoed councillor Lindsay's comments following a meeting with Keith Brown MSP, saying: "I was able to provide him with assurances that the SNP administration will not include the closure of schools within our budget proposals."

Clacks Council reiterated their position with a short statement, which read: "The 2019-20 budget will be set when the full council meets in the coming weeks. No decisions have yet been taken."