THE relationship between villagers in the Prime Minister's constituency and their local council has reached "a new low point" following an exchange of letters over controversial school reorganisation plans.

School governors in Hurworth, in Tony Blair's Sedgefield constituency, now say they want to speed up their breakaway from Darlington Borough Council.

The village is embroiled in a dispute over plans to close its highly-successful secondary school and merge it with troubled Eastbourne school in a £25m city academy.

The wrangle is attracting national attention because it appears to highlight the confusion over Mr Blair's vision to improve secondary school standards by attracting private investment and giving greater parental choice.

In the past few days the dispute has intensified, with Hurworth school governors voting against the academy plans and announcing their intention to pursue foundation status outside the control of the council.

But the council insists it is right to press ahead with the academy plans.

In a letter to parents, Margaret Asquith, the council's director of children's services, condemned the governors' decision, saying: "If Hurworth was to forge its own path and move away from the family of schools in Darlington, it would pose a significant risk to the council's ambition to give the best opportunity to each of the 21,421 children in this town.

"We think it would be irresponsible and wrong to say no to the possibility of a further £25m investment into education in Darlington."

This drew a stinging response this week from Sam Jameson, chairwoman of governors, who wrote to parents saying a "new low point in the rapidly deteriorating relationship" with the council had been reached.

Mrs Jameson's letter said the governors were disappointed with the nature, tone and content of Ms Asquith's letter. She wrote: "I consider this to be discourteous and a clear sign the director has decided upon a path of confrontation."

She reveals Hurworth's plans to develop its own "school improvement service", which would be marketed regionally and nationally from September 2006.

Her letter adds: "I hope Darlington will take advantage of our services."

The letters come as the authority's education scrutiny committee meets today to discuss proposals for an academy, which would fall in Alan Milburn's Darlington constituency.

The final decision on whether to apply for an academy will be decided by the full council.