SENIOR councillors in Southend have called for the Deanes School to be saved.

Nigel Holdcroft, Conservative Southend Council leader and James Courtenay, councillor responsible for children and learning, will table a motion calling on the county council to rethink the closure at a full council meeting next month.

Both claim the closure will put too much strain on other schools in the south Essex area.

It puts the Southend Tories in conflict with their Conservative colleagues at County Hall.

Mr Holdcroft said: “I don’t think Essex has thought this through. We have had a surge in pupil numbers over the past few years and these will move through into the secondary sector in the not too distant future.

“A lot of my residents send their children to Deanes for the special education needs and sports provision they offer.

“There is also the issue of new homes being built in south east Essex in the next few years, which will increase the pressure on all of our schools.”

Southend Council will debate the motion on Thursday, October 17.