CONTROVERSIAL plans to close primary schools in Otley have been given the go-ahead.

Yesterday, Leeds councillors backed proposals to merge five of the town's infant and junior schools into three.

Council leader Councillor Brian Walker said it had been a difficult decision and there would be those who would be disappointed.

But he added there was a general acceptance that something needed to be done to solve the over-provision of primary school places in the town.

Despite the objections of more than 700 people, both Thomas Chippendale and All Saints Junior schools will close.

Angry parents say they have not been given enough time to object and that the closures are nothing more than a cost-cutting exercise. Since the Wharfedale Observer first revealed the plans, many parents have written to the paper with their objections.

New primary schools for four to 11-year-olds will be established at a cost of £735,000 on the sites of Westgate Infants, All Saints Infants and Ashfield Infants.

Thomas Chippendale in Weston Ridge will close - despite an objection letter signed by 550 people, and All Saints Junior School, North Parade - which was backed by a 214-name petition.

The city council's Executive Board agreed to push ahead with the proposals and will now publish statutory notices - with the intention of making the changes in September next year.

There will now be another two months when people will be able to make further representations to the council.

A report to yesterday's meeting said there had been general acceptance that the current over-provision of primary school places in the town could not be allowed to continue.

To the north of the town it was felt that Ashfield Infant and Nursery School offered the better environment and was easier to get to. The sale of part of the Chippendale site would fund all the necessary reorganisation work - estimated at £185,000 - at the new school.

And a survey of parents revealed that of the 196 who expressed a preference, 78 per cent went for the Ashfield site.

To the south of the river there was considerable support for keeping a school at Westgate but opinion was divided over whether the second school should be at All Saints Infants in Lisker Drive or All Saints Juniors in North Parade.

Westgate Infant and Nursery School - the most popular infant school in the town - could easily be converted into a primary school at an estimated cost of £250,00.

There was a divided opinion over All Saints Infants and All Saints Juniors with the parish church supporting the junior site and the town council and the Bradford Diocese going for the infant site.

But while community arguments pointed to the junior site, quality of learning, environment and modern facilities went for the infant site.

It was also felt that although the junior school was more accessible by car, a smaller proportion of the community was within easy walking distance.

Traffic problems around all sites were raised by people but it was said the most effective way of reducing school traffic was by the setting up of good primary schools within the local community.

A spokeswoman for All Saints Junior School Parent Action Group said: "During the consultation period many parents argued that it was flawed, showed bias, twisted the truth, omitted important facts and in some instances, was factually incorrect."

And she claimed at the public meetings held in Otley to discuss the plans parents had felt rushed and that they had not been given enough time.

She said despite a number of reasons why the All Saints Junior School site should be saved, they were all dismissed. And she claimed a larger school at Lisker Drive would exacerbate traffic problems.

"Residents in the area have voiced their concerns over the proposed changes, as it would mean more car drivers in an already congested area.

"Parents are naturally angry that decisions to close schools have been made after such inadequate consultation. The cynical might say it's the first cost-cutting exercise that Education Leeds is proposing and will be the first of many."

l After the end of the statutory consultation period, a further report will go to the Executive Board in July.