Brighton: Six primary schools could have been closed to limit surplus spots

Brighton & Hove City Council's budget for the 2024-25 financial year is due to be set next week

Six primary schools in Brighton could have been closed to tackle surplus places, councillors were told.

Councillor Bella Sankey said one assessment of Brighton & Hove City Council's situation could have been proposing closing the schools.

The council leader said: "We as an administration are very keen to try to minimise school closures."

Two primary schools are still at risk of closing in August, with a consultation closing on 20 February.

Councillors have voted in favour of plans to close St Bartholomew's Church of England Primary School and St Peter's Community Primary School in Portslade.

The other schools that could have closed were not named during the debate on Thursday about the council's budget for the 2024-25 financial year, which is due to be set next week.

Councillor Sankey agreed about the need for a citywide approach, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

She said: "One assessment of our situation when it comes to schools in the city is we should be proposing closing six of them.

"Now, we as an administration are very keen to try to minimise school closures which is why we have gone for this package of measures in our proposals."

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