A CONTROVERSIAL school access road is being debated again tonight.

Five councillors have “called in” Colchester Council cabinet’s refusal to allow an access road to be created from Norman Way to Philip Morant School in Colchester.

If the road is not built, the council risks losing the £130million of investment for secondary schools.

The call-in means the authority’s strategic overview and scrutiny panel will discuss the decision at 6pm in the town hall.

If the panel is convinced the refusal is a mistake, it could ask the council’s cabinet to reconsider its verdict at a special meeting, which would be convened on Monday.

The Lib Dems, who have the most seats in the cabinet and voted against the access road, are not bound by the panel’s recommendation.

But they face political pressure because the two other groups in their rainbow administration – Labour and the High Woods Independents – have said they will consider withdrawing support if the decision is not reversed.

That could open the door for the opposition Conservatives, who hold the most seats of any single party, to get back in power.

Supporters of the access road say it is needed to allow the expansion of Philip Morant School using some of £130million on offer from the Government.

Critics say the proposed road will ruin a playing field used by children and have raised doubts it is critical to the overall funding application.

The schools shake-up would also see improvements at the Stanway School and St Helena School, Sir Charles Lucas Arts College replaced with a new academy, while both Alderman Blaxill and Thomas, Lord Audley schools in south Colchester would close.