The emotions triggered by the county council’s radical proposals for Shropshire’s village schools erupted into dramatic action recently when around a thousand children, teachers and parents staged a demonstration at Shire Hall to protest against plans to close 22 infant schools and amalgamate several others into larger units.

In view of strong representations from concerned parties, the public and Shropshire MPs it was decided that no schools would be closed, although discussions would still take place on those scheduled for amalgamation. However, although the ruling was welcomed by those affected by the reprieve, doubts still exist in some quarters about the future.

Bridgnorth District Councillor William Parr said that the decision was a hollow victory.

“The sword of Damocles is still hanging over our heads. The county council has merely postponed the outcome until it becomes a unitary authority next year, when the whole question will crop up again. I urge people not to become complacent, and to keep the protests going so that the government will be forced to do something to save our schools. My fear is that unless we keep the issue alive, schools will be closed by stealth and picked off quietly, one by one.”

However, following a meeting with Schools Minister Jim Knight by the district’s MPs, council leader Malcolm Pate and other representatives, Bridgnorth’s MP Philip Dunne was convinced that the schools were safe.

“The county council has listened to the people of Shropshire and have quite rightly decided to cancel the closure programme for all schools other than those due to amalgamate,” he commented. “This is very good news for Barrow, Beckbury, Farlow, Hope, Hopton Wafers, Kinlet, Morville, Onny and Rushbury schools. Those schools threatened with amalgamation which will involve closures still need to continue their campaign.

Philip Dunne added that the claim of temporary deferral was ‘dangerous talk.’

“We have already seen how rumours and worries about the threat of closure can lead to self-fulfilling decline of a school roll. The county council needs to let parents know their school is now safe. There is nothing more corrosive for continued health of a school than for parents and potential parents to fear it may not be there to educate their child.”

However, Liberal Democrat Shadow Children, Schools and Families Secretary, David Laws was unconvinced by Jim Knight’s responses.

“Government policy is confused, contradictory and hypocritical. While ministers offer public reassurance about school closures, they are privately issuing instructions to local authorities to close schools and reduce places - backed by the threat of withholding money for new buildings.

“Local authorities are being put in an impossible position - being instructed to close schools and reduce places, while the Government proclaims its opposition to rural school closures. This muddle will lead either to policy paralysis or to the wiping out of many schools - particularly in rural areas.”

Prime Minister Gordon Brown, in a recent visit to the county, said that the government supported rural schools, and took its responsibilities ‘very seriously.’ Children and campaigners attempting to lobby him during his Telford sojurn were kept well away by security staff.