PARENTS AT one of the Shropshire schools facing the axe reacted with anger after being told millions of pounds is stashed in school bank accounts across the county.

And they were told the nine closure threatened schools had been given the minimum six-week consultation period allowed by law to respond to Shropshire Council plans.

Last night’s meeting, followed a scrutiny committee meeting yesterday at which some councillors called for the consultation to be scrapped, saying inaccurate information was being used.

More than 40 people packed into a classroom at Barrow Primary School, near Broseley, last night to grill council officers.

Barrow is one of eight primary schools under threat.

Simon Pennington, chairman of the campaign group aiming to save the 400-year-old school in Barrow, told officers they had failed the county’s schools by not clawing back about £7million it is claimed is held in school accounts across the county.

He said: “This is a shocking dereliction of duty. There’s £7million out there squirrelled away and other schools are sacking staff because they can’t pay them.

“Other councils have been doing this and you have failed to do it. You ought to be ashamed of yourselves.”

Parents asked why the money had not been recovered before.

Tim Smith, assistant director of children and young people’s services for Shropshire Council, said: “Schools finance regulations say you can take action on excessive balances of five per cent or eight per cent above the level of income the school gets. It doesn’t say you can go and get every pound they are holding in the bank.”

David Taylor, the council’s director of children and young people’s services, added: “We will claim back as much money as we can. It’s one-off money, this is an ongoing problem.”

Parent Mandy Day asked why schools earmarked for closure had just six weeks to submit responses as part of the consultation, which ends on April 8.

Norrie Porter, the council’s head of premises and planning, said: “We are following guidelines. We must allow six weeks for formal responses. You’re quite right, it’s the minimum suggested.”

By Paul Mannion