A SCHOOL in Highworth came closer to possible closure after Swindon Council cabinet members voted for a statutory consultation on it shutting.

The council has proposed closing Northview Primary School because of dwindling pupil numbers.

On Wednesday night, cabinet members were presented with the results of a consultation, which saw 393 residents and parents object to the plans to close Northview and send the children to Westrop Primary School instead.

The cabinet members voted to move to the statutory consultation.

Coun Garry Perkins, the cabinet member for children services, said a detailed traffic study would be carried out to find out the repercussions of the Northview children crossing the A361 to get to Westrop.

He said: “It is very unfortunate, but there are so many surplus school places in Highworth. A decision will not be made until January.”

If the proposal to shut the school is agreed, it will close on August 31.

All Northview children would move to Westrop Primary School, which would expand by 105 places.

Trade union Unison, which represents six employees at Northview, also objected to closing the school during the consultation.

Unison said staff, who were facing redundancy, would find it difficult to work outside Highworth due to family commitments and lack of private transport. The union also said the closure would have a detrimental effect on vulnerable pupils.