THE fight to save Beech Down Primary School will gather pace tonight when governors at the school meet to take the first steps in preparing their appeal against closure.

An appeal committee of the governors has been set up and is wasting no time in holding its first meeting, which coincides with the official notice of the proposed closure of the school in today's Gazette.

Objectors have two months to send in writing their objections to Hampshire County Council. These will be forwarded to the independent school organisation committee for consideration. If just one member of that committee objects to the closure, the matter has to be referred to the education Secretary.

Meanwhile, Cllr Don Allen, the county's executive member for education, was quizzed this week by councillors about his controversial decision to close Beech Down, which has been housed in temporary accommodation since the building was destroyed by fire in 2000.

He has said that after a review established there were surplus school places in that part of Basingstoke the school should not be rebuilt, but the capacity of St Mark's Primary School should be increased, along with an extra classroom at Chalk Ridge Primary School and the provision of additional accommodation at Manor Field school.

In a rare move, his decision was "called in" by the education policy review committee where committee members raised a number of questions about the decision.

Liberal Democrat Cllr Brian Gurden, who said he was also speaking on behalf of Conserv-ative member Cllr Phil Heath, told the meeting: "We talk a lot about putting the children first and I don't think we have put the children first. Inwardly I am seething, and so is everybody in Brighton Hill."

But Cllr Allen was adamant that his decision, although the most difficult he had ever had to make, was the right one.

"I am confident my decision provides by far the best solution to the problems addressed by the review and indeed provides a very substantial improvement in the provision for pre-school and primary education in that area," he said.

Beech Down headteacher Ann Macdonald, who listened to the debate and at one time stood in the public gallery to correct a councillor who kept calling her school Beech Wood, said later:

"It was no more than I expected. I was not expecting him (Cllr Allen) to change his mind."