A controversial decision over the future of a junior school is to be postponed and reconsidered.

Kirklees Council’s Cabinet was last week blasted by parents after dropping its plans to increase the number of places at Reinwood Junior, Infant and Nursery School in Oakes.

Councillors decided instead to increase provision at Royds Hall Community School, Paddock, which will become an ‘all-through school.’

But the decision will now be re-examined by a Kirklees Council scrutiny panel after it was called in by Liberal Democrat councillors.

This follows complaints from parents, school staff and governors that they had not been adequately consulted.

They were given seven days’ notice of the revised plan and just one meeting was convened – during the daytime.

The decision – branded a ‘U-turn’ – will now be postponed until the scrutiny panel makes its conclusions.

A date for the panel is yet to be arranged although Lindley Lib Dem councillor Cahal Burke has demanded it take place early in the New Year.

Clr Burke said: “Sixty families made arrangements for their children’s education based on a promise to invest in Reinwood.

“For the Cabinet to suddenly pull the rug from under their feet with little more than seven days’ notice shows very little regard for them, their well-being or the well-being of their children, who will now have to look elsewhere for a junior school place at the end of year one.

“This is not an acceptable way for the Cabinet to behave and they needed to be challenged over it.

“The call-in will give parents a chance to have their say about the proposals but also their treatment during the short window of time given for comments.”