WORRIED parents packed Swindon Council chamber to hear the latest plans for West Swindon schools.

The council says that unless three schools in the area close there will be 800 spare places by 2009 and last night decided to go out to consultation on how to address the issue.

Coun Garry Perkins, cabinet member for education, said: "It is not about closing schools. It is about increasing the facilities in schools.

"If the community decides that it doesn't want to sign up there is an option that nothing will be done."

But parents who attended the meeting were unhappy they were not given a chance to speak and were still concerned about the future of their children's schools. Julie McConkey, whose five-year-old daughter Lorna is at Westlea Primary, said: "They obviously didn't want us to talk."

The proposals are:

Close either Westlea Primary School of Oliver Tomkins CofE Junior School and rebuild and expand Toothill Primary School

Amalgamate Salt Way Primary School with Shaw Ridge Primary School and close either school

Amalgamate Windmill Hill County Primary School and Freshbrook County Primary School and shut either

Do nothing or reduce the number of places in the schools.