Mobile footcare

more than 1,000 signatures.

It says the unit is set to be hit by new "Banding and Safety Valve agreements", aimed at increasing “value for money” in specialist provision.

Athelstan Trust chief executive Tim Gilson said it was a “horrible situation” caused by a lack of funding to the council from central government for pupils with special needs and disabilities.

The council's cabinet has blamed the trust for the closure.

Cabinet member for education Erica Williams said: “This decision by the trust came totally out of the blue.

“We asked the trust to come to the table. The trust refused to come to the table.

“We don’t see why there is any reason for it to close –through the banding changes there will still be sufficient funds for that access centre to remain open.”

But opposition groups say the the fault clearly lies with the council administration.

Liberal Democrat group leader Claire Young told the meeting: “The parents will have almost certainly had a long battle to get their child into the centre, and now when they thought they had the answer they see it being snatched away.

“It’s a disgrace that this council is risking the education of some of its most vulnerable children and I urge a rethink.”

The petition can be found at change.org/p/save-chippingsodbury-access-centre.

By Adam Postans, Local Democracy Reporting Service