BURY'S education chairman has vigorously defended the controversial decision to close the town's Brandlesholme county primary school.

During repeated questioning by members of the public at Wednesday's full meeting of Bury Council, Councillor Andrea Hughes stressed the closure plan was "the best option."

The meeting ratified the shutdown plan which is to be implemented because the school does not have enough pupils.

During the meeting, several people in the public gallery demanded the decision be reversed and that amalgamation be looked at as an alternative.

Despite their protests, however, the council agreed to go ahead with the closure. The decision is being taken because Brandlesholme county primary, with the capacity for 245 pupils, only has 107 pupils on its roll.

There are also falling numbers at two other local primary schools - Old Hall and Woodbank.

Earlier, education bosses faced the option of closing all three schools and creating two new ones.

However, it was later recommended to shut Brandlesholme since it was the oldest building and had the fewest pupils of all three schools.

Speaking at Wednesday's meeting, education and community services committee chairman Coun Hughes, said: " Closure is the best option. But I do understand this is a painful decision.

"If there was another decision we could have taken, we would have done so. I'm confident this is the right decision.

"We decided the best method was closure. All of us involved in this decision knows how painful it was."

She added: "I firmly believe this is the right decision for all the children in Brandlesholme."

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