THE man behind the bid to run North Swindon’s newest primary school as an Islamic Faith School has refused to back down.

At a heated public meeting last night Shahid Sahu, pictured, chairman of the Al Habib Islamic and Cultural Centre, faced down his critics, including ward councillor Justin Tomlinson.

Coun Tomlinson asked Mr Sahu to consider withdrawing his bid and working with the council to find a more suitable time and location for the project, claiming that at the moment the Al Habib centre were not ready to run a school.

But Mr Sahu insisted there was a real need for the school, which will be split 50/50 between Islamic pupils and local children, and said that unless the council could offer him a concrete alternative he would not back down.

In a straw poll at the end of the meeting 114 of those in attendance said they were against the Al-Habib bid, with only 32 in favour.

Oakhurst Primary School is due to open in September 2009 for a limited number of children before a full roll out a year later.

So far two bids have been entered to run the school – one from Swindon Council and one from the Al-Habib centre.

At a packed public meeting Orchid Vale school last night parents and local residents listened to proposals from council representatives and Mr Sahu.

The presentation for Swindon Council concentrated on their experience in running primary schools in the borough and said their proposal would meet the needs of parents in the area.

Mr Sahu stressed the need for a centre of learning for Muslim children, which would also offer integration with children from other cultures.

After the presentations there was a chaotic question and answer session, mainly directed at Mr Sahu.

The presentations and questions from the audience will now be passed to the school’s adjudicator, who will have the final say.

Richard Kirk, who hopes to send his two children to the school, said the meeting had not changed his opposition to the Al-Habib bid.

He said: “This is not about faith schools – this is about the fact that there is a desperate need for a primary school for local children. At the moment students from Oakhurst are travelling to 25 different schools.

“We need a community school for this community, and not 50 per cent of one.”

But Salih Temel said he was impressed with Mr Sahu’s presentation, and could see the value of an Islamic Faith School in Oakhurst.

He said: “I am 100 per cent in support of this and I think the whole Muslim community in Swindon is too. There is a need for a school that can explain important questions to Muslim pupils about who they are and about their culture.”

The date for comments on the two proposals is January 5 and should be directed to Swindon Council.