CAMPAIGNERS fighting to save Ripple School at Deal have told the adjudicator deciding its fate how Kent County Council has given them nothing but "misinformation, mistakes and broken promises".

Andy Roberts, chairman of the Save Our School action group, delivered a scathing attack on the council's behaviour at a public meeting called by independent adjudicator Dr Alan Billings.

More than 100 people turned up to the meeting in the school grounds and no-one, save Ian Craig, KCC's assistant education director, spoke in favour of closing the school.

"The whole process has been unwarranted, undemocratic and shambolic in nature, with misinformation, mistakes and broken promises coupled with manipulative timing of events," Mr Roberts said.

The council had contradicted itself about its reasons for wanting to close the school and insisted that Ripple could not meet the requirements of the National Curriculum despite an Ofsted report to the contrary, he added.

Mr Roberts, who was the school's chairman of governors at the time the closure was announced, also described how the council had allowed the proposals to be published in the press before governors, staff and parents had been informed, leading, he said, to "a very difficult time for the head teacher and me".

KCC had then ignored the recommendation made at the first meeting of the Schools Organisation Advisory Board that the closure proposals should be deferred, he said.

"This whole process should have been nipped in the bud at the first hurdle," he added.

Cllr Paul Watkins, leader of Dover District Council and ward member for St Margaret's, which includes Ripple, also heaped criticism on the county council, saying that its actions had put the school in an uncertain financial position as the threat of closure had prompted some parents to withdraw their children.

"The school is not failing educationally or financially but KCC's actions have probably had the effect of causing reduced numbers and leaving the school vulnerable," he said.

He continued: "Dover District Council objects to this proposal because of the effect it will have on community life.

"The school is the centre and heart of the village. Closing it will deal a blow to the education of the children and to the community."