AN education union has launched a scathing attack on Northumberland County Council in response to proposals which threaten up to 16 schools in west Northumberland with closure.

The National Education Union believes many small communities across Tynedale are set to bear the brunt of the “complete disaster” which allowed Haydon Bridge High School to fall into “terminal decline”.

A consultation response letter prepared by the union’s regional official for the Northumberland, Russell Grieg, accuses the council of failing to properly invest in the high school during the academisation process which should have taken six months, but instead dragged on for three years.

“Let’s not forget that many parents would have normally sent their children to Haydon Bridge and chose not to through fear for their child’s education during the disastrous process where Bright Tribe were to transfer the school to an academy,” wrote Mr Grieg, who is also a town councillor in Prudhoe.

“This was overseen by a Regional Schools Commissioner who allowed this to happen, and Guy Opperman MP, who lauded Bright Tribe and the future of Haydon Bridge as an academy.

“During that period, Northumberland County Council failed to invest properly in Haydon Bridge High School allowing it to go into terminal decline, and now, not only Haydon Bridge but many smaller communities in the west of Northumberland will suffer and bear the brunt of this complete disaster.”

The document, which responds to three options made public by the council last week as part of an ongoing consultation on radical education reform, also points out that any decisions taken rely on the agreement of the Hadrian Learning Trust, which operates Hexham Middle School and Queen Elizabeth High School as a multi-academy trust.

Up to eight first and middle schools, as well as Haydon Bridge High School, are earmarked for closure under the council’s plans.

But Mr Grieg highlights that the distances quoted by the council are only between school buildings and the closures proposed could actually see parents an their young children traveling much further from homes in rural areas.

He added: “The plans presented by Northumberland County Council will significantly damage the long term social and economic prosperity of many small communities around the west of Northumberland.

“Our education system is already under threat nationally, and now locally, through these proposals.”