A SKIPTON councillor claims parents of children moved from Ings Primary School are failing to receive proper support.

All but one of the 41 children transferred from the Broughton Road school, which looks set to close at the end of the year, have gone to other primary schools, including to Gargrave and to Cracoe and Rylstone.

But Cllr Andy Solloway says some parents are struggling with transport costs, while the schools themselves could also need extra support.

Cllr Solloway is also seeking reassurances that the multi use games area (MUGA) at Ings should be kept available, and that the building can continue to be used by groups, including Skipton Extended Learning for All (SELFA).

On October 17, the Executive of North Yorkshire County Council agreed to publish statutory closure notices for the school, which has been judged as 'requiring improvement' twice in the last three years.

A final decision will be made by the Executive on December 5, which is likely to see the school close at the end of the year.

A public meeting was held at Broughton Road Community Centre ahead of the October council meeting, which was attended by more than 60 people.

Many of those, including organiser, Nasr Moussa Emam, attended the council Executive meeting to hand over a petition of more than 400 names. An online 38 Degrees petition has also been set up and signed by 200 people calling for the council to carry out an investigation into why the school failed.

Cllr Solloway said: "Parents who have made the difficult decision to move their children to other schools, need effective support with transport and if needed, support for their children adjusting. We all heard from parents who had been let down with this, and it seemed that some felt doubly let down."

He added: "Two of the schools have taken on 14 and seven more children, and I have asked that if there was a shortfall in the timescale of children coming to a school, and the budget that they each bring, that the council should fund this, to enable schools to bring more staff and resources in to cope."

He is also calling for the site to remain a valuable community resource - and also as a source of income for the council.

Cllr Solloway says the closure of Ings will have a big impact on education in Skipton.

"Schools in Skipton face some big challenges and North Yorkshire County Council needs to face up to them, even as if in the case of academy schools, it doesn't have as much influence."

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire County Council said council staff had supported families to find alternative schools and its school improvement advisors would visit each school next term to support and monitor former Ings pupils and to address any issues.

"The council is looking at the financial position of each school receiving former Ings children, as to whether they are entitled to pupil growth funding in cases where pupils numbers have increased significantly. Schools may be entitled to additional funding through School Closure policy, should Ings School close. Ings is currently used by a number of community groups and governors have agreed that the existing groups can continue to use the school until the end of term, staffing permitting. There are also other available community facilities nearby at Broughton Road Community Centre."

If the school is closed, the council will consider then the future community use of the site, including the MUGA.

"The council is hopeful that the site can continue to provide primary school places for children in Skipton and is in discussion with the Regional School Commissioner about the likely opening of an academy at some point in the future."