CAMPAIGNING parents have been rallying support on a petition demanding more St Albans city-centre primary school places. SABLE (St Albans Battle for Local Education) collected more than 300 signatures in just an hour-and-a-half of canvassing in St Albans

CAMPAIGNING parents have been rallying support on a petition demanding more St Albans city-centre primary school places.

SABLE (St Albans Battle for Local Education) collected more than 300 signatures in just an hour-and-a-half of canvassing in St Albans on Saturday morning.

The campaign group was formed by the angry parents of many of the 80 children who were not allocated any city-centre primary schools this year. They have already sent a letter to Herts County Councillor Keith Emsall, the executive member for education, requesting a meeting with him to discuss the situation.

County councillor Chris White is in the process of organising the meeting and met the concerned parents last week. The group has also met St Albans MP Anne Main.

SABLE ultimately wants a new school to be built in the city centre but in the meantime argues that more places should be provided at existing schools.

They believe that the problem was caused when St Peters, Maple and Aboyne Lodge Schools each took on an additional form to meet a large shortfall in places two years ago. As a result this year all but two places at Aboyne Lodge and the vast majority of places at the two other schools have been taken up with siblings who get priority over any other local children regardless of the distance they live from the school.

The group's founder, Mary Crofts, said: "It is not fair. I think that the sibling rule needs to be applied but only if the distance is the same as it was with the first child."

SABLE is continuing to appeal for support and parents can contact Mary Crofts on 01727 800198 or on mcfitz2002@yahoo.co.uk