BURY Council has been condemned by the Local Government watchdog for the way it handled a row over places being offered at Tottington High School.

Ombudsman Mrs Patricia Thomas this week published her report which said the council - and the school - were guilty of "a catalogue of maladministration", causing injustice to parents.

Seven parents complained to her when their children were refused places at Tottington High after appeal.

During the appeal hearings the school asked to be allowed to increase their intake number to give places to all those who appealed.

But the council refused, and took away any chance of appeals being re-heard.

The Ombudsman's report comes down firmly on the side of the parents. She recommends that either places are offered, or the appeals re-heard, and says compensation of up to £200 per complainant should be paid.

The council have already vowed to re-hear appeals, and say they are looking at the rest of the report.

Mr Gary Ellis, who led the parents fight, said he was "very pleased" with the report.

"It is a complete vindication of everything we have fought for over the past five months." Mr Ellis's son Andrew was given a place at the school after an interim report by the Ombudsman two weeks into the term.

Another parent, Mr Dennis Laverick, was also delighted with the report.

His daughter Gemma, who suffers from dyslexia, was nearly two months out of school before finally getting a place at Tottington after other pupils left a couple of weeks ago.

Said Mr Laverick: "She has been taught at home, but it is a lot of time to miss especially with her dyslexia."

Ombudsman Mrs Thomas said she found a number of examples of maladminstration which caused injustice to the parents and others.

She said the head at the school, Mr Alan Scott, was wrong to "needlessly and unrealistically" raise the expectations of parents that their children would get a place.

Mr Scott said the school were "caught on the hop" by the sheer numbers of pupils.

"This was a unique situation," he said. "We have never had any problem getting all our first preferences in before."

Mr Thomas also lists a "catalogue of maladministration" on the part of the council, and suggests four ways to make amends.

Mr Dennis Taylor, acting chief executive of Bury Council, said they had already carried out two recommendations before the report had even been received.

He said they would re-hear appeals for all the complainants whose children were not at Tottington.

"Obviously the question of compensation cannot be considered until that process is completed."

They have three months to prepare a formal response.

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