EVERY school in Argyll and Bute will be on holiday on the same dates from 2017-18 onwards – but one local councillor says that families in the Helensburgh and Lomond area will be unfairly disadvantaged by the move.

The local authority's community services committee approved a plan of school holidays for the next two academic years at its final meeting of 2016.

The key change for families in Helensburgh and the surrounding area is that for the first time, pupils and staff will have two weeks off in October instead of one – bringing them into line with much of the rest of Argyll and Bute, but out of sync with nearby schools in neighbouring West Dunbartonshire.

It also means an end to the traditional September weekend holiday for families in the local area.

Parent councils in Helensburgh and Lomond, Bute and Cowal, and Mid Argyll, Kintyre and Islay all expressed concern at the move towards standardisation in the course of a consultation on the issue

And Lomond North councillor George Freeman tried to get members of the committee to change their minds on the issue, but his amendment – asking that the flexibility across the council's four administrative areas be maintained – was defeated by six votes to three.

Councillor Freeman told members of Arrochar, Tarbet and Ardlui Community Council: “A lot of people in this area are far from happy at being brought into line with something that suits people in Oban.

“It was quite clear from the consultation that Helensburgh and Lomond did not support making the whole area the same. But the only place I got support for my amendment was from councillors in Bute and Cowal.

“The council indicated the change would make it easier from the point of staff training and in-service days, but I don't see any benefit for children and families in this area.

“Now you could have families with children split across schools in Helensburgh and Dumbarton having to cope with different holiday dates.

“My view is that the decision was made to suit staff and managers – it's not there to suit parents and children at all.”

In addition to two weeks in October, the new holiday framework also includes a full week off for children in February, minimising the number of incomplete weeks for children and increasing the number of common in-service days for staff.

But fewer than half of head teachers and teaching staff agreed with the proposed framework, with 55 per cent rejecting the plan.

A spokesperson for Argyll and Bute Council said: “The council consulted widely with parent councils, head teachers, teaching staff and trade unions regarding the proposed school holiday dates.

“The increase in common in-service dates will allow improved continuing professional development to be delivered to teaching and support staff. This will also increase opportunities for employees to work together on improvement activities and share good practice to improve outcomes for our children and you people.”