ROMSEY'S Member of Parliament Sandra Gidley is considering sending a letter of protest to Schools' Minister David Miliband over the impending closure of Ampfield Primary School.

Hampshire County Council's education executive member Don Allen last week decided to close the Church of England primary school after its numbers had dropped from 67 to 23 inside two years.

But his announcement, which went against an 8-5 vote by the county's education policy review panel, has sparked objections from the school governors and from councillors as well as Mrs Gidley and the Conservatives' Prospective Parliamentary Candidate Caroline Nokes.

Commenting on Councillor Allen's decision, Mrs Gidley said: "Firstly, if he had already decided to close the school, was it worth having the consultation anyway? And secondly, what is the point of having a committee if it can be overruled by one person?" She described the county council as being "very opportunistic" in opting to close the school so soon after its numbers had dropped and before the effects of moves to improve it had been studied.

The team of governors, parents and staff involved in the recovery measures were, she said, very dedicated and she added: "I don't think they have been given a chance." She also took issue with Mr Allen's comments that there was alternative Church of England provision in the area and said that as far as she knew, they were all full. Mrs Gidley said she would be speaking to the school's chairman of governors, Tony Knight, with a view to writing to Mr Miliband "to see if the proper processes have been followed."

Mrs Nokes had also criticised the closure decision. In the wake of revelations that it cost over £9,000 per year to educate each child at Ampfield, compared with less than £3,000 at many other schools, she said: "Whilst we accept that the school was expensive to run, I think it is appalling that the governors were not given time to implement their three-year plan to save the school, which they assured the county would be at no extra cost to the taxpayer.

"It is important that councils should always ensure that the council tax payers' money is spent wisely - but there are times when cheapest isn't always best." She is joined in her protest by Test Valley Borough Council's deputy leader Martin Hatley, who is also the borough councillor for Ampfield.

He said: "Test Valley Borough Council sent a letter to Hampshire County Council supporting the school governors' rescue package. I strongly believe that parents should have choice and the ability to send their children to the village school. Ampfield School is very much part of the local community - this is a sad day for Ampfield." Governors chairman Tony Knight is urging Advertiser readers to write to their county councillors and to respond to the school closure notices when they are published.

In his letter (which appears on page 4) he writes :"All educated opinion is that, left free from the threat of closure, the numbers at Ampfield would recover. There are 23 on roll, 11 on the waiting list leaving just 18 to achieve a cost base per pupil no greater than any small village school.

"Before the decision, we had over 20 outstanding enquiries for places. Ironically, the decision will ensure that high costs continue until possible closure and that huge sums of money invested in the school will not continue to benefit the children of Hampshire as the LEA does not own the school or the site."