Parents clash over plans to merge two schools

Proposals to amalgamate two Shropshire primary schools have "divided the whole community" leading to emotional clashes at a public meeting.

Angry parents argued at a meeting last night as they fought for the future of Oakland and Longmeadow primary schools, in Bayston Hill, near Shrewsbury.

Arguments broke out as tensions rose amid calls for the proposed amalgamation of the schools to be scrapped.

Shropshire County Council bosses faced angry parents and governors at a meeting at Oakland Primary School. More than 100 people gathered at the talks with many claiming the schools should have been filtered out as they are "rural" schools. Parents claimed the Bayston Hill schools are being treated as urban when they should be classed as rural.Ian Budd, assistant director of strategy and business support, told the crowd people class themselves in a number of different ways.

He said: "There is to be a decision. It is for councillors to decide whether or not to commission a consultation. Your views are put across to councillors."

Mr Budd, who attended the meeting along with Councillor Ann Hartley, member for children's services, Norrie Porter, the council's head of premises and planning, and Carol Tiddy, acting director of children's services, also assured residents that no decisions had yet been made on any part of the proposal.

Cameron Taylor, parent governor at Oakland, addressed council bosses at the end of the meeting.

He said: "The amalgamation proposal is dividing the whole community. We ask you please to not proceed with this amalgamation."

A further meeting to discuss the proposal is set to take place at Longmeadow tonight at 6.30pm.

l Limit - See Page 19