The closure of two York schools has been approved by city councillors.

Oaken Grove Primary School in Haxby and Shipton Street Infant School, off Burton Stone Lane, are now set to close in August 2002, after a full meeting of the City of York Council voted for the changes.

Statutory notices will now be published, giving objectors two months to lodge their views again before the final decision of the new and independent York schools organisation committee in March.

Meanwhile, a working party is being set up to look at the future use of the Oaken Grove and nearby Ralph Butterfield buildings and council officers are preparing a report on the future uses of Shipton Street, which they hope to keep for educational and/or community use.

Ruth Pearson, chairwoman of the Oaken Grove Parents' Action Group, called on councillors at the meeting to halt the closure plans, predicting a rising population in the area.

She also criticised the council's consultation process, complaining about a letter sent out by governors at neighbouring Ralph Butterfield Primary School urging parents to vote a certain way, which bore the City of York Council logo and which Mrs Pearson claimed had been approved by the council's governance service.

But Stella Waft, chairman of governors at Ralph Butterfield, said today that the letter was from the governing body alone and had nothing to do with the council. It had been sent out on the school's ordinary notepaper, which showed both the school's and the council's logos.

Chris Edwards, acting education director, said all governing bodies were completely independent bodies and the council did not receive copies of their letters, never mind authorise or approve them.

Coun Janet Looker, executive member for education, said: "Oaken Grove has caused us all worry and heartache over the years, not least the governing body who have done a wonderful job. And no one can say we haven't tried. Sadly and simply there aren't enough children to have four good viable schools in Haxby and Wigginton but there are enough to have three."

In Clifton, plans to develop Kingsway Junior and Burton Green Infant Schools into primary schools were approved, alongside the closure of Shipton Street.

The merger of Westfield Infant and Junior schools and the closure of Northfield School nursery were also approved.

Updated: 13:58 Wednesday, January 10, 2001