Primary schools will be forced to shut their special needs bases as part of fresh cuts - despite fierce objections.

Hertfordshire County Council is axing the services at Laurence Haines Primary School in Watford, Parkside Primary School in Borehamwood, and Windermere Primary School in St Albans.

It means children with difficulties such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, discalcula and ADHD are at risk of getting less, or no support.

Bosses say it will free up £775,000 to create new resources centres, where staff could continue to access books and other materials.

Support – and additional funding – would then be focussed on the “very small” number of students with “exceptional” need.

But the vast majority of teachers, headteachers and parents who responded to the public consultation were against the plans.

Of the 700 people who responded, 657 – 93.9 per cent – were against the plans. Just one of the 11 headteachers responding agreed.

The report from the council's director of children's services said: "Like all local authorities it is appropriate and necessary to undertake reviews of our SEND [Special Educational Needs] provision and best use of available High Needs Funding,” says the report of the Council’s Director of Children’s Services.

“The county council needs to ensure that it can safeguard its ability to meet future needs and pressures, and provide the best possible provision to local children. ”

Concerned teachers highlighted the value of the expertise of staff and concerns about the impact on pupils; the strong relationships because of the proximity of the current bases to local schools; and concerns that free and affordable training would cease.

The plans – which have been revised since the consultation – were backed by the Education, Libraries and Localism Cabinet Panel on Tuesday (June 5).

And they will next be presented to Hertfordshire County Council’s cabinet on June 18, who will then determine whether to publish statutory notices.

However there were concerns expressed at the meeting about the responses to the consultation and the impact the change could have on school budgets.

Some councillors questioned whether – in the face of such strong objection – the public consultation should have been repeated, after the changes had been made.

Simon Newland, the council’s assistant director of education, said there may be further opportunity for consultation, even after the publication of statutory notices.

Other bases due to close are Applecroft Primary, Welwyn Garden City; Bonneygrove Primary, Waltham Cross; Grange Junior, Letchworth Garden City; Parkside Primary, Borehamwood; The Leys Primary, Stevenage; The Thomas Coram Junior, Berkhamsted; Thorley Hill Primary, Bishop’s Stortford.

How will you be affected by these plans? E-mail aslater@london.newsquest.co.uk with your thoughts.

Initially the bases were intended for placements for a small number of children with specific learning difficulties. But no pupils have been placed at the bases for a number of years.