A SECRET LIST of Cornish primary schools most vulnerable to closure is being withheld by County Hall despite a Freedom of Information Act request for them to be named.

The extraordinary move by Cornwall Council follows a campaign by the St Tudy and St Mabyn Community Action Group, which believes its two village schools are on a list which could be targeted as unsustainable financially due to low pupil numbers.

Documents seen by the Cornish Guardian reveal the council at first denied any list existed, but after repeated FoI demands by Chris Mugford, vice chairman of the action group, officers now acknowledge such a list is in place, but insist it will not be disclosed.

The council says it would not be in the public interest to name the schools.

Formal complaint

Mr Mugford is making a formal complaint to Cornwall Council and if it continues to withhold the information, Mr Mugford has warned he will seek adjudication on the matter by the government's Information Commissioner.

He said County Hall had gone to extreme efforts to deny the FoI request from the action group.

"We asked for names of the schools, but were told no such list is held by the officers of Cornwall Council, nor has it ever been discussed or considered by the current nor the previous county council.

"The action group made further demands under the Freedom of Information Act which has now produced an extraordinary result.

"The council has now confirmed it does hold the information requested, but that it would not be in the public interest to make the list available to the public.

Mr Mugford continued: "We find the latest turn of events worrying. If there was no threat to any school in Cornwall, then the council would have nothing to hide.

"Claiming this information is not in the public interest can only lead to further grave concerns for communities."

Normally, there are very few reasons why FoI request is allowed to be withheld, one of which is on the grounds of national security.

But in a letter to Mr Mugford, a council official states that although it holds the information he requires, it was being withheld because it would not be in the public interest to disclose it, and therefore is exempt from the Freedom of Information Act.

"The council has concluded that the public interest therefore favours non-disclosure. The public interest is served in this situation by the continuance of the process for developing the Primary Strategy and not by disclosure of a list that does not add any degree of understanding or transparency in relation to this process." Mr Mugford added: "Openness itself is in the public interest. We have taken guidance from the Information Commissioner's Office and it has been confirmed that disclosure would allow a more informed debate of issues under consideration."

In a statement yesterday, Cornwall Council said it did not have a list of schools at risk of closure, and there were no plans to close any primary schools.

"It does, however, have a clear duty to plan educational provision and ensure that there are sufficient primary places to meet demand located near to where children live. The council would be failing in its duty, therefore, if it did not continuously review the future sustainability of schools."

The council admitted some areas had been identified where a number of schools are facing difficult financial situations and where there are a large number of surplus places.

The council will be presenting a strategic paper to councillors on any proposals for change this summer, concluded the statement.