TEACHING unions have accused Swindon Council of trying to spin public support for the controversial academy plans for Headlands School.

The three unions the ATL, NUT and NASUWT say consultation brochures sent to homes in Penhill, Gorse Hill and Pinehurst did not give residents the option to oppose the academy plan.

They say Swindon Council sent out brochures supporting the academy plan alongside a confusing feedback form that gives no simple way of opposing the proposal.

The consultation paper also presents two options for the future of the SureStart facility in Pinehurst both of which include the academy.

But the council's cabinet member for education, Coun Garry Perkins, was unapologetic. "It's a consultation on the academy, not against the academy," he said.

"You don't actually expect us to put forward arguments against it?

"Nobody's stopping the unions putting their views forward.

"The ratepayers of Swindon are not there to pay for their political statements."

Coun Perkins (Con, Shaw and Nine Elms) said the Government had put £450,000 into the consultation and the council had put in £200,000.

"If we don't accept the academy we won't get a new school," he said.

"Things have moved forward but the unions have not."

ATL branch secretary Phil Baker said the council was trying to skew the debate.

"The unions are disappointed the documents put forward to parents are not balanced," he said.

"The way the questionnaire has been put together it is not easy to put forward their opposition to the academy.

"We are saying it's not a fair consultation.

"The thrust of the consultation is not whether you want an academy but what sort do you want.

"At no stage have the groups opposed to the academy been invited to put their views to parents.

"Swindon Council has made no effort to put forward a balanced point of view."

Mr Baker said an academy would rob parents and the community of control of their schools.

NASUWT Swindon secretary Dick Mattick said teachers were concerned parents were being railroaded into supporting the academy proposal.

"The consultation makes it do you prefer this way of doing it or that way of doing it' rather than do you agree with it or not?" Mr Mattick said.

"There are financial implications."

Mr Mattick said the unions were concerned the community would lose control of schools under the academy plan.

And he said more changes would be disruptive to students at Headlands.

The consultation closes on June 16.