BATTLING parents and pupils have vowed to carry on their fight to stop a controversial Sheffield school merger despite being dealt a crushing blow by the High Court.
Thousands of people had signed a petition opposing the planned integration of Wisewood and Myers Grove schools, which had been voted for 43 to 40 at a full council meeting in July last year.
Members of Save Our Community Schools, SOCS, were hoping a last-ditch Judicial Review over Sheffield Council's conduct in the matter would halt proceedings.
But now they have been dealt a massive blow after Mr Justice Stanley Burnton refused the application for a Judicial Review at the High Court.
What do you think? Add your comment below.He said: "There was no arguable defect in the consultation procedure, including the time allowed.
"It has not been shown that the defendant, Sheffield Council, arguably failed to take the results of the consultation into account."
A council spokeswoman said today it would definitely be going ahead with the merger but would "be working with parents at every stage" and a working group had been set-up.
"We want to work with everyone and make sure everyone is involved in the process," she said. The council says it is not financially viable to keep both Wisewood and Myers Grove open due to falling pupil numbers.
It plans to build a new £20m school on the Myers site, which will be opened in 2011.
Most Myers Grove parents were today delighted with the High Court decision - but parents at Wisewood vowed to continue the battle to block the merger - compared by one to Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United merging.
Darren Clapham, a leading member of SOCS, pledged: "We will continue the fight all the way. The fight will go on to the very end to stop this merger," he told The Star.
"No traffic impact assessment report has been made public yet and this is a major point. Air pollution is already high in the Malin Bridge area and children's safety has not been looked at.
"The new school will have places for 1,050 pupils based on the presumed drop for a couple of years, but when pupil rolls return to what they are now, where will the surplus pupils go?
"Wisewood is now just behind Bradfield and other top schools in Sheffield, so why destroy something which has a great success rate, as it cannot be guaranteed that this success can be continued at the new school.
"The merger has been a sham from the off.
"A petition against the merger with over 3,500 signatures was handed into council.
"It seems the Labour council do not want to listen to what Sheffield people want."
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