Parents unhappy at changes to school catchment areas in Telford turn out in numbers

A consultation has been launched to allow parents to have their say on Telford & Wrekin Council's plans to change certain boundaries.

But parents in Muxton said they were unhappy with the proposals and have formed an action group to voice their concerns.

Youngsters in Muxton would most likely be assigned to Telford Priory School in Wrockwardine Wood rather than Burton Borough School in Newport under the plans.

The group submitted a question to the council, but as it was not within the stated time frame, the question was not read.

Lesley Galley, of Elmhurst Coppice, chairman of the new group, claimed the 45 minute walk youngsters would have to make going from Muxton to Telford Priory School in Wrockwardine Wood is dangerous.

She said: "We missed the deadline by a few days, but our presence was definitely felt.

"A few councillors congratulated us and as they arrived we had five stop and talk to us and say they sympathise with our views. That was encouraging.

"We had about 50 or 60 parents and kids turn up which was really really good. It's onwards and upwards now.

"We're going to be lobbying the council members and asking all parents to lobby them too with our concerns and points of view and hopefully we can influence them."

The mother of two said: "We're looking for a shared catchment area, not for everything to remain unchanged.

"That road really is a great concern."

It comes after a group of parents met at Muxton Primary School to walk to Telford Priory School to highlight the risks they believe children will face travelling to the school.

The council said the changes had been put forward because Burton Borough is under strain due to an increase in housing developments in Newport.

Dozens of parents also turned out to a meeting of Donnington and Muxton Parish Council in December to voice their concerns over the plans.

They were told by officers that the route would be reassessed.

The council said over the past few years many Telford and Wrekin schools had been rebuilt or remodelled to offer more pupil places but an increase in homes meant the authority had to look more carefully at the boundaries. The council said parents could still chose to send pupils to Burton Borough School, but it would no longer have a statutory requirement to provide transport for pupils.

Currently it provides four buses at a cost of £40,000 each, so the change would mean a substantial saving for the council. The authority has already cut its budget by £80 million since 2010, but council bosses expect to have to find nearly £50 million more in savings by 2020.

The changes would be put in place in September 2018.

Parents can have their say on the proposals for schools in Telford & Wrekin area by visiting telford.gov.uk/schoolcatchmentareas

The consultation closes on January 27.