WE DONT care how you do it - just get us more school places in Whiteley.

That was the resounding message from frustrated parents and residents who packed Whiteley Community Centre last night for an animated meeting on the schools crisis.

More than 150 parents and residents attended the meeting called by Hampshire County Council to look at options to resolve the long-running problem that has seen children turned away from Whiteley Primary for three years.

Among them was the group of parents most recently affected by the places shortage after 27 children were refused entry to the Yew Tree Drive school this year - despite living within the catchment area.

After going through four options to resolve the crisis - including building a new school, extending Whiteley Primary and using up capacity in other Western Ward schools - officers were left with the clear public consensus that only one thing mattered.

Getting school places in Whiteley - and quickly.

Steve Collinson, 32, of Camargue Close, whose son was refused entry this year, told officers it was their job to sort out the problem and that it had gone on too long.

He said: "We don't care how they solve the problem. We just want them to do it. We want our children to be educated in Whiteley."

He and other parents also asked officers to look at temporary measures to provide places in Whiteley for all children this year while future facilities are built.

Mr Collinson added: "I think officers listened to us, but I don't think executive members of the council will realise the strength of feeling at this meeting unless people write to the county council and e-mail them. We need to hound them."

Another parent, Darryl Crossley, 38, of Gibson Close, said: "They've got to start pulling their finger out. We don't want to vote on different options that will split the vote. We just need to tell them we want another school or an extension."

Concerns were raised at the meeting that options laid out leaned towards trying to get Whiteley children into spare places at other western wards schools, as building a new one would prove too costly for the authority.

A new school would cost £3m and currently the authority has only £1.5m set aside following the government's withdrawal of funding.

However, the western ward option was unpopular with parents, who felt children needed to go to schools with children from their own neighbourhood.

Fareham council leader and local resident Sean Woodward said: "I still maintain that the options laid out in the original document appear to be closed and ruled out the possibility of a new school, but I do feel that officers heard all we had to say tonight. The question is - did they listen?"

Education officer Anne Begley insisted each option was still a possibility: "Genuinely, nothing has been ruled out. It is up to the executive members to decide what to do. County council leader Ken Thornber has even said there is still a possibility of a new school.

"We can only make recommendations and we will pass on the strong feelings voiced tonight."

A report on the outcome of the consultation is expected in May.

Executive members will consider the report in July.

To make your views known to Hampshire County Council, write to Bob Eardley, Strategic Planning Department, The Castle, Winchester, Hampshire, SO23 8UG or e-mail: bob.eardley@hants.gov.uk by April 25.