A PRIMARY school’s governing board has walked out after the council launched a probe into its finances.

Ten long-standing members of the board at troubled Manor Primary School, in Tilbury, resigned last week.

Thurrock Council carried out an audit at the school in February 2012, with the report being handed to the governing body in December.

The council then asked the governors to answer questions raised by the report within a week, angering governors who did not think this was enough time.

A council spokesman said: “The governing body of Manor Primary School in Tilbury has resigned with immediate effect.

“The council was in the process of seeking permission for an interim executive board after it was made aware of details of an audit carried out at the school.

“The council is working closely with Alex Seaford, the headteacher, to ensure appropriate interim arrangements are put in place and the council will support the school in every way it can.”

Marion Wollaston, the schools’ former chairman of governors, would not go into specifics of the dispute, but said the decision to walk out was not taken lightly.

She said: “It was put to us they were going to take away the powers of the governing body and we felt we needed more time to answer those questions. We felt we didn’t have a right of response.

“We felt ultimately there was no other course of action other than to resign en masse in protest.”

Mrs Wollaston, who had been a governor at the school for 10 years, said the governors did not agree with the findings of the report.

She added: “It is very sad to have to take that decision but we felt we had no choice.”