Blog: Shirehall leaders and education bosses are being left in no doubt that they have a big fight on their hands over the future of county schools.

A six weeks consultation is underway on plans which could see nine schools close, an infants school developed into a primary, the creation of a new “all through” school and a number of federations.

It’s going to a tough six week as the first of 11 consultation meetings – held in little Barrow near Broseley last night – showed.

Angry parents got officers to confirm that millions of pounds is sitting in school bank accounts across the county and demanded to know why the money wasn’t being used.

They also got officers to admit to giving schools the minimum time to respond to the proposals.

Other questions saw them being quizzed on inaccuracies and inconsistencies in data and reports.

Earlier in the day at a council scrutiny committee meeting called to examine the plans, councillors claimed reports were factually incorrect, the process wasn’t pupil centred and schools had not received enough information.

Councillor Heather Kidd, who was wearing a save Stiperstones School t-shirt, said: “There are a number of things that are very concerning. It looks like there is a series of factors that have been put together to make it look like the school needs to close.

“All sorts of things are incorrect.”

She added:”I would prefer it if you would cancel the consultation altogether.

“You’re consulting on false premises.”

Dozens of members of the public attended the Safe and Confident Communities Scrutiny Committee meeting, a reflection of the depth of feeling about the plans, and the high regard in which people hold their local schools.

Education chief, David Taylor warned of “challenges” that were not going to go away and said Shropshire faced a “failing local education structure” which has less children in it and has lost millions of pounds of funding over the last few years.

I tend to agree that something needs to be done to ensure Shropshire has a sustainable schools’ network and in which classroom standards can be improved.

But how the council will carry the public along, I just don’t know.

Perhaps the current proposals are the wrong way forward.

Certainly after listening last weekend to Mervyn Benford of the National Association of Small Schools, I do have some doubts.

He is both a former Ofsted inspector and former head of a village school, and he presents a strong and convincing argument for maintaining small schools, pointing to their success in raising educational standards as well as being economically viable.

Mr Benford urged campaigners to challenge officers over the data and information they presented.

I’m sure officers are going to face such a challenge over the coming weeks.

Campaigners are articulate, determined and are gathering well researched data which supports their schools.

I’m sure that those concerned about the future of social care services wished they had the same clout.