Parents on warpath

Published in Derbyshire Times on Thu 18th Jan 2007

Placard-waving parents marched behind councillors as they trod the 'dangerous' route faced by kids if plans to close an under-threat school are given the go ahead.

Four Derbyshire County councillors strode out from Curbar Primary to Stoney Middleton Primary School - which the authority wants to close.

Children will go to Curbar Primary if the plans go ahead.

And parents, who say the two-mile walk along the A623 is dangerous, were on hand to vent their feelings on Monday, to Cllrs Roland Hosker, Charles Cutting, Marion Stockdale and Ray Caswell.

Mum-of-two Dulcie Jones, chairman of the school's Friends, Parents and Teachers Association, said: "We wanted to show that the strength of feeling remains in the village. We want our school to stay open.

"The road is not fit for children to walk alongside. It is a danger."

Derbyshire County Council says it wants to close the 21-pupil school on July 20 this year because falling numbers mean it costs £5,600 per year per pupil, with the countywide average of £2,990.

It issued the official closure notice last week and a consultation period will run until March 8 when the decision will go to the School Organisation Committee, which comprises county council members, church representatives and school governors.

If the committee fails to make a unanimous decision the case will be referred to the Government's schools adjudicator to make a final ruling.