THE county council's cabinet leader has been blasted by governors of a closure-threatened school after allegedly telling the headteacher the school would close, 48 hours before a key meeting of education chiefs.

According to Phil Gates, Lickhill Primary School's chairman of governors, Worcestershire County Council leader George Lord and cabinet colleague Liz Eyre told school head, Calne Edginton-White, Lickhill Primary was "closing" and "nothing" would change the fact.

Mr Gates added: "County Hall phoned to say Dr George Lord and Councillor Liz Eyre wished to come out and speak to Calne, on Tuesday.

"They arrived at the school, went into the headteacher's office and the first thing they said was your school is closing and nothing is going to change that'.

"They requested a meeting with staff and spent 45 minutes saying to staff let's make no bones about it your school is closing.' "They then told staff there will be redundancies but would do their best to secure all jobs, but said the two office staff and the headteacher would go.

"I've investigated and I think it's pre-determination because they've said this 48 hours before the meeting so I've spoken to democratic services at County Hall, and asked for both cabinet members to be excluded from the meeting."

Dr Lord, told the Shuttle/Times & News yesterday, said he and Liz Eyre, cabinet member for children and young people, had spoken to staff but stated there had been "a misunderstanding".

He added: "There's a set of proposals and I told them what I think is going to happen but I don't know what cabinet is going to do.

"I believe the school probably will close."

Mr Gates was set to deliver a written statement signed by staff and the headteacher to democratic services officers asking for both cabinet members to be excluded from today's cabinet meeting, in which the closure proposals will be discussed.

Lee Shrimpton, county council spokesman, said officers were looking into the issue but did not rule out the possibility the cabinet members could be excluded.

Cabinet has been recommended to approve plans to the shut the Almond Way school, in three years time, and opt to expand nearby Stourport Primary to become two-form entry.

The proposals have come about after the Government knocked back the county council's initial plans last month to close both schools and merge them on the former site of Lickhill Middle School.

Ed Balls, children, schools and families secretary, rejected those plans because the county council did not want to open up the running of the new two-form entry community school to outside providers.

If the plans get the green light, a consultation will begin in December, with a final decision by education chiefs, due in March.

The new building would open its doors in September 2010, combining the current catchment areas of both schools.