Parents are claiming victory after a long battle against a proposed move by the city council to relocate severely disabled children to another school.

The controversial proposal to move autistic pupils from Patcham House School in Old London Road, Brighton, to Downs Park School in Foredown Road, Portslade, was met with fury by parents and opposition councillors.

The proposed move was suggested by Brighton and Hove City Council to accommodate adult learners, currently in Connaught House, Brighton, who would have been relocated to Patcham House School.

But the proposal – which would have affected autistic pupils aged between 12 and 14 – has been scrapped now that an alternative site for the adult learners has been located, according to two Labour councillors.

Labour councillor Penny Gilbey, who represents Portslade, said: “I am really pleased that these vulnerable children will not have their lives disrupted with the unwelcome changes that were proposed and also that residents in Portslade will not be affected by the extra traffic which may have been generated near to Downs Park School.”

The proposal is still technically in its public consultation period until tomorrow, and parents were set to put forward their petition at the next meeting on July 16 at Hove Town Hall.

'Best news'

But Labour councillor Anne Pissaridou said: “The move won’t go through, and even if it made it to committee it wouldn’t have been passed because so many opposed it.”

Parent Lisa Stonebridge was in tears when she found out that her 12-year-old son Harry wouldn’t be moving school, claiming it was the “best news” she’d received since her boy had been accepted at the special needs school.

‘It’s not unusual’ However, she added: “I won’t really believe it until I see it in black and white but I am so pleased.”

A council spokesman said: “Consultation on the proposed changes to Patcham House and Downs Park schools ends this Friday, 5 July, and a report with recommendations will go to the Children and Young People’s Committee on 16 July.

“We are listening to everything that people are telling us in the consultation, and it’s not unusual to consider alternative options during a consultation.

“The final decision will be made by members of the committee, who will |need to consider whether any alternative proposals are acceptable and how they might affect the planned provision of much-needed new infant school places in Hove.”