THOUSANDS of protesters have signed a petition saying they have no confidence in Monmouthsire education chiefs handling of proposed school closures.

More than 15,000 signatures have so far been collected by campaigners fighting plans to close some schools in the county as part of a radical education shake-up.

The county council, which has defended the process, says the shake-up is the only way to meet UK government targets on class sizes and building quality.

But furious Abergavenny protesters say they do not accept the argument.

They are fighting to stop four schools being either closed or expanded and have formed a group called SMASch (Save Monmouthshire and Abergavenny Schools.

The group is collecting signatures, which will then be presented to Monmouthshire county council at the end of the statutory consultation period on January 6.

The final decision on closures will be made next year by Jane Davidson, education minister at the National Assembly.

Julian Carey, 37, of Glan Gavenny, whose five-year-old son Jack goes to Croesonen Infants School, said the petition is for people to express no confidence in the public consultation run by the council prior to announcing the closures, no confidence in the cabinet's ability to reach an unbiased decision over the closures and no confidence in the idea that he closures will improve education in the town.

He said: "We don't expect Monmouthshire county council to respond to it, but hopefully we can shame them into admitting they have lost the plot over this situation."

He added: "We can't understand why, with so much support for the schools to stay open, the council is refusing to rethink their flawed and unpopular plans.

"They have no popular mandate for their proposals yet we are still wasting time and money fighting this plan."

Following a strategic review of primary education in the county last year the council agreed to close seven schools.

They include Park Street and Croesonen Infants schools and St David's Junior School in Abergavenny and three village schools at Llanfoist, Llanover and Llanfair Kilgeddin, although the latter has been given a reprieve until 2008.

But Robin Griffiths, cabinet member for lifelong learning and leisure with responsibility for education, defended the plans saying an extensive consultation exercise had been undertaken since February 2001.

And he said all the information presented as part of the formal consultation period will be looked at.

Mr Griffiths said: "At the present time we are in the statutory consultation period and in that process everyone has a chance to present information. All that information will be responded to and all the information will go to the National Assembly."

* Pictured: Frances Rees and her son Ryan, five, hold up a no confidence poster watched by other parents at the threatened Croesonen Infants School