It was sad to hear the news that East Brighton College of Media Arts is to close.

I went to the meeting at Hove Town Hall, mistakenly thinking it was an open meeting and anyone could speak but was told I would not be able to make the comment I wanted to. I could sit in the public gallery.

It seemed as if the decision had already been made and no matter what was said, it would not make any difference. I wanted to say that the people in that area were so lucky to have a school in their community that they should do all they could to keep it.

Having lived in Woodingdean for nearly 33 years and having seven children and wanting to send them to a Catholic school, I had to send them to Cardinal Newman School in Hove.

When they were younger, we sent our children to St John the Baptist School in Kemp Town and then when Our Lady of Lourdes School in Rottingdean opened, there.

We did try to keep Fitzherbert School (which is now the Nuffield Hospital) as the senior Catholic school for our area, as children from as far away as Seaford attended Cardinal Newman School, but they pulled it down.

I am afraid I did not stay on at the meeting as it seemed what we had to say would make no difference.

Whoever was responsible for making the final decision to close the school has no real concern for the welfare of the children of that area and should find another job which does not have the best interests of children at the heart of it.

-Mrs Pamela Hill, Woodingdean