A CORNWALL councillor says he is "astonished" after he was wrongly accused of leaking information to the press about the possible closure of two village schools.

Last week, the Cornish Guardian revealed that a feasibility study was under way to look at building a new school at Longstone which could result in the closure of both St Tudy and St Mabyn primary schools.

In a letter to the Cornish Guardian, Sally Bain, Cornwall Council's cabinet member for children, said that Cllr Jeremy Rowe had brought the story to the press to "attempt to stir up panic among parents".

In response, Cllr Rowe said: "I am astonished at Mrs Bain's bizarre, ill-informed claims. In her comments she tries to give the impression that I was fully informed about the proposed closures at all times.

"This is completely untrue. I was given no prior notification or information of any kind from Cornwall Council until I made enquiries on the back of questions from concerned residents and the Cornish Guardian.

"In fact, I am not even quoted in the Guardian article, which she claims I stirred up.

"Rather than concentrate on their public relations defence tactics, it would be a much better use of Mrs Bain's and Cornwall Council's time if they started actually listening to the local communities they're trying to dictate to rather than simply ploughing ahead with their 'we know best approach'."

● To read the letter in full, see page 35.