HAMPSHIRE County Councillors have decided against using their powers for the decision to close a Basingstoke secondary school to be reconsidered.

At the children and young people select committee meeting held today (July 10) voted to back the executive member for education, councillor Peter Edgar’s decision to close Fort Hill Community School.

As previously reported by The Gazette, Cllr Edgar took the decision to amalgamate the school with Cranbourne Business and Enterprise College due to the lack of pupils who had applied to join the school in the upcoming academic year.

Today’s meeting was called by Basingstoke Central division Hampshire County Councillor, Cllr Mike Westbrook to allow members to decide whether the decision was worth reconsidering.

Cllr Westbrook said: “Fundamentally I believe this is something not all members are happy about.

“the decision to amalgamate these two schools was rushed into and only one solution was offered and that was to amalgamate the school’s.”

Cllr Edgar reassured members that officers would be doing everything they could to ensure the best possible outcome for the students.

Cllr Edgar added: “We will be monitoring the whole process as it goes a long to benefit the pupils. It is not a case of we are handing this over to officers so they can get on with it.

“We will do all we can in our power to make sure that this decision is the right one. “

For the full report see this week’s Gazette.