Education watchdogs are to investigate the handling of the Shropshire schools crisis, it was revealed today.They will be examining the council’s education policy which put 22 primary schools at risk of closure, sparking a massive public protest, and has also led the county council to consult on the amalgamation of 16 other schools.

The decisions taken by the county council’s cabinet last week have been called in by Roger Evans, chairman of the authority’s children and young people’s scrutiny panel.

Amid a mass protest from teachers, parents and children, the nine cabinet members unanimously agreed to drop plans to begin consulting on the proposed school closures, which had been suggested under the new schools organisation policy in a bid to tackle falling pupil numbers.

However, it was decided to still proceed with consultations on mergers, which has angered some parents.

Councillor Evans has e-mailed all council members saying that he is concerned at the decision arrived at last Wednesday and the effect it will have on the primary schools of Shropshire.

He says that a number of questions were asked during the meeting and only some were able to be answered.

In his e-mail Councillor Evans says: “The recommended policy of the cabinet, and the adopted policy of the council, is not now to be followed.

“There are legal consequences of this, and also what is to happen to the 22 schools which were listed as not being in compliance of the policy.”

He adds it is argued that some of the schools on the closure list should have been “filtered out” early in the consultation process.

“I am unable to understand, as many present were, why the cabinet voted in favour of amalgamations. No explanations were given,” says Councillor Evans.

The scrutiny panel will meet on February 20. It could ask the full council, which meets two days later, to reconsider the policy and cabinet decision.

Lib Dem opposition leader, Peter Phillips, welcomed the move, saying: “This is excellent news.

“It will give councillors and the general public the opportunity to have their say on the whole sorry programme.”