Council chiefs have been urged to try to avoid the use of primary schools as polling places to prevent disruption for children and families.

The plea was issued by Councillor Andy Doig, and echoed by councillors Audrey Doig and James MacLaren, as a list of proposed locations was shared at Thursday’s meeting as part of a review.

A number of schools have been put forward as suggested sites, which include Our Lady of Peace Primary School in Linwood and Dargavel Primary School in Bishopton.

Councillor Andy Doig said: “I understand it’s difficult with polling places.

“For example, there’s been some church closures that necessitated a change in venue, but for years the council, as a whole and that goes back over different administrations, has tried to move away from using primary schools as polling venues.

“Unfortunately because of the situation now, there’s been a kind of reversal in this report to using primary schools.

“It’s just a plea to say, could we try if possible not to do that?

“[That’s] because of the disruption it causes to pupils and to families.”

Mark Conaghan, the council’s head of corporate governance, confirmed that the practice in doing the reviews was to avoid the use of schools “where possible”.

He added: “There’s a couple of observations I would make on the general point.

“The first is that obviously we’re now in a position where there are no European elections, so we are now looking at a cycle which covers three elections in a five-year period, subject obviously to what’s decided at UK Parliament.

“Two of those elections, the dates are known and we have asked colleagues in children’s services to try to ensure the dates of the Scottish Parliament and local government elections are in-service days going forward, which would mean there would be no impact arising from school usage for polling places for the children that attend those schools, with the knock-on effect to parents.

“That then leaves one election in a five-year cycle, which is the UK Parliament elections.

“With the ending of the Fixed-term Parliaments Act, we don’t know when the dates of those elections will be.

“They are very much at the discretion of the Prime Minister of the day, as to when the election will be, and therefore it can’t be dealt with on the basis of in-service days, because we only get roughly six weeks’ notice as to the date of any election.”

Mr Conaghan said the council would look at any venue suggested by elected members or members of the public.

It was also stated that in some cases where schools are used the building will remain open. The proposals are subject to public consultation.