BATTLING parents want the council to halt closure plans for three East Riding primary schools after the Government announced a funding change.
Parents are hoping schools threatened with closure at Langtoft, Gembling and Dunswell may now have a lifeline.
Schools Minister David Laws has accepted there is "concern about the ability of local authorities to support small schools in rural areas".
He has announced the Government will enable councils to provide additional funding for schools in sparsely populated areas from April next year.
This has given fresh hope to parents and governors fighting school closure plans, which will be considered by East Riding Council's cabinet on Tuesday, June 25.
Mark Kelly, chairman of governors at 20-pupil Langtoft Primary, said: "I feel a closure decision by the council would now be unsafe and unfair.
"We would like them to stop the process because they have based their case around the fact that they are unable to support the school with extra payments. That is the backbone of their case.
"The Government has now identified this postcode lottery for education.
"David Laws has noted that it is unfair and it should not be based on your postcode and where you go to school.
"They now look to be putting it right."
Jacqui Sedman, parent governor at 26-pupil Gembling Primary, also wants the council to reconsider.
She said: "We have said all along that the Government is constantly reviewing its school funding reforms because they don't want to cause turbulence and they don't want schools to close.
"We have been saying, 'why close our school when we are not in deficit for two years and the Government is changing things'.
"I would like to think what the Government is saying would make a difference but I fear the council is dead set on what it's doing.
"They are so blinkered they are not taking account of anything that is happening with the Government."
Richard McWatt, who is among parents fighting closure plans for 88-pupil Dunswell Primary, said: "If there is any chink of light, we would always want to look at it and try to play that card."
Councillor Julie Abraham, portfolio holder for schools, said the council is looking at the implications of the Government's announcement.
She said: "We are working through the consequences of this announcement and what it might mean to our schools in 2014-15.
"Changes around the size of the lump sum between primary and secondary phases and the introduction of a new sparsity factor will have to be considered very carefully as, unless there is any new money coming from central Government, we will only be redistributing our existing resources and that could create a different list of winners and losers."
A spokesman for the Department for Education said there would not be additional money available but there would be greater flexibility for the distribution of funds.
