Disgusting, disgraceful, scandalous that was the verdict of campaigners after the collapse of a meeting to decide the future of Oxford schools, writes Mark Templeton.

Parents and teachers could not hide their dismay as the Schools Organisation Committee said it had too little financial information to make a decision about the shake-up of the school system.

The move follows a leak to the Oxford Mail of a confidential memo written by committee chairman Janet Morgan. The memo outlines some of the problems faced by the SOC, including the lack of financial detail.

Yesterday the committee voted to defer the proposals which would see middle schools scrapped until September for a full financial report to be prepared.

But campaigners called for Cllr Morgan to resign as chairman, saying she was not acting impartially.

Now the matter is set for judicial review, with protesters claiming a decision should have been reached by July 10. Teresa Munby, legal spokesman for the Save Our Schools group, said: "An issue has come into the public domain in the last few days concerning the Liberal Democrat group and their leaked internal briefing on the schools reorganisation."

She questioned the double role of Cllr Morgan as both the Liberal Democrats' education spokesman and the chairman of the SOC. Labour county councillor Tom Richardson who is not a member of the committee shouted out at the meeting: "This is scandalous. You've had six months to get this right and still don't have any idea about the finances.

"Do you have any idea what you are doing to our children and teachers in this city?"

Jed Lambert, chairman of governors at Windmill First School, said although the move to a two-tier system had his school's backing, it would only support the move if it was financed properly. He said: "We are due to move into Headington Middle School under the changes. The infrastructure of that school is appalling.

"We can only support this move if the future and comfort of our children is secure, and at the moment it is not."

Martin Thomas, head of Temple Cowley Middle School, called on education chiefs to provide evidence that scrapping middle schools would improve standards. And former city and county councillor Janet Todd questioned why chief education officer Graham Badman had not attended such an important meeting. Mr Badman's deputy, Roy Smith, said officers would do their utmost to establish the true financial position of the project as soon as possible.

But he warned: "I hope this will done by the end of July. If it is not available to council by September then clearly you may have to decide if you want to carry on with the project in any case."

The committee will meet again on September 20 and 21.

Cllr Morgan said the delay would not affect the overall programme of change if it was given the go-ahead then.