A PUBLIC meeting was being held today to give parents a chance to have a say on the future of their children's education.

Parents and guardians of children in Blackburn and Darwen were invited to discuss schooling in the borough.

Education bosses and town hall chiefs were also at the meeting at King George's Hall, which is expect to finish at about 7pm tonight.

Blackburn with Darwen's recently appointed education and training chief Mark Pattison, were speaking at the special event.

And Rossendale and Darwen MP Janet Anderson was addressing the meeting on behalf of the Labour Government. Headteachers and school governors from across Blackburn and Darwen were also expected to attend. The aim of the event is to collect as many views as possible on the Government's recently-published Excellence in Schools White Paper.

The views expressed at the meeting will be used when the council's reply to the White Paper is officially drawn up.

Blackburn with Darwen's chairman of education and training Bill Taylor, said before this afternoons gathering: "We are very pleased to be consulted on the Government's plans for the education of our children.

"We are looking forward to an interesting exchange of ideas which we will make sure are fed back to the Department of Education."

The council is also in the middle of a major consultation exercise in the borough as part of the move towards single status.

The aim is to involve parents, teachers and governors in the formation of a new education authority for the borough.

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