THE decision to remove five schools from council control has been made, despite opposition from some parents.

The governing bodies of five schools made a decision, with the full backing of the local authority, to become Trust schools as part of the Government's Building Schools for the Future (BSF) program.

Trust status will give the trustees ownership of buildings and playing fields and complete control of the day-to day running of the school, including admissions and staff recruitment.

The University of East London will become the trustee of Tom Hood School and Cann Hall Primary in Leytonstone, which will both merge.

The Learning and Leisure Trust will become the trustee of a merged school of Norlington, George Mitchell and Beaumont Primary, all in Leyton.

The decision was made at the end of May and the schools will have their new status from September 1.

Parents, teachers and school governors campaigned to try and stop schools in Waltham Forest being moved out of council control because they said the new arrangements would undermine local accountability.

A public consultation was held about the decision.

National Union of Teachers (NUT) members at Norlington School in Leyton voted for strike action on Friday opposing the change of employer the trust status will bring about.

NUT regional secretary Rinaldo Frezzato said a meeting will be held between the NUT and local authority representative to see whether the matter could be resolved without strike action.