The chairman of the board of governors at Southborough School for Boys has resigned in protest at a decision to block it from becoming a voluntary aided church school.

Chairman Peter Osborne called the decision by a panel of schools, councillors, the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church a "travesty of democracy" and said he may take legal action.

Now the final say will be handed over to an independent schools adjudicator and may not be known for up to one year.

Southborough headteacher John Rook fears the delay could mean the school will miss out on up to £3million from a church-run private finance initiative (PFI).

Mr Osborne said: "The school was taken completely by surprise.

"The consultation had been overwhelmingly positive.

"We have been working with the diocese and the LEA to prepare this proposal for a year.

"It is a very sad waste of everybody's time."

The panel, called the schools organisation committee, needed a unanimous vote in order for Southborough to change its status, but only three of the committee's five groups went the way of the school.

The spoiling vote came from the school group.

There was concern over how the change would effect the admission of pupils from non-religious primary schools.

May 29, 2003 11:00