THE national day of strikes over proposed changes to pensions for public sector workers, took place on Wednes-day with many workers in the South Hams choosing to stay away from work.

Councils warned of disruption and schools were closed in Kingsb-ridge.

The strike was co-ordinated by the Trade Union Congress, andsaw members of unions representing a wide range of public sector workers taking part.

The strikes were held mainly over pensions. The Government wants public sector workers to pay more into their pensions, work for longer and accept a pension based on a 'career average', rather than the current final salary arrangement.

Unions believe the proposals will leave their members paying more and working longer for less.

Before the strike, a spokesman for South Hams Council said: 'Residents and businesses are being alerted to possible disruption to their district council services.

'Some council staff are members of the unions expected to be involved in the one day of industrial action.

'Although the council will not know how many employees intend to strike until the day, preparations are in hand to ensure as high a level of service to customers as possible.'

Kingsbridge Community College Principal Roger Pope said on the school's website earlier in the week: 'I am writing to let you know that the College will be closed for students for normal lessons on Wednesday November 30.

'We do not anticipate having sufficient numbers of staff in College that day to allow us to run a safe programme of lessons.

'There will be no College transport running on that day.

'We are very conscious of the difficulties that such occasions can cause for parents.

'If you would like your son or daughter to come to college for all or part of the day, we will be able to offer supervised private study.

'The Sixth Form study room will similarly be open for any Sixth Form students who wish to use it'.

Many Primary schools closed across the South Hams with Charleton Church of England, Modbury, Kingsbridge, Thurlestone and West Alvington all shutting on Wednesday.

Imogen Yeoman from Salcombe Church of England Primary School said: 'None of our members of staff will be striking this Wednesday, therefore it will not affect the service we supply at all'.

Tina Roberto of Aveton Gifford Primary School said: 'None of the staff at Aveton Gifford Primary School will be going on strike so the school will be open as normal on Wednesday'.

Ivybridge Community College said: 'As a consequence of the Industrial Action planned for Wednesday November 30 the College will now be closed to all students'.

There were also Primary school closures in and around the Ivybridge area including Manor, Woodlands Park, Shaugh Prior, the Erme, Cornwood and St Mary's Church of England in Brixton.

Other schools continued operations as per usual.

South Western Amb-ulance Service Trust's executive medical dire-ctor Dr Andy Smith, said: 'Delivering the highest standards of care to our patients remains the Trust's number one priority.

'I would like to offer an assurance to the communities we serve across our operational area of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon, Dorset and Somerset, that despite the industrial action, serious emergencies will get an immediate response.

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service PR Officer Paul Slaven said on Monday: 'The trade unions representing operational, uniformed firefighters have not declared that they will be taking strike action on Wednesday.

'Therefore, firefighters will be attending incidents as usual on that day'.

First UK Bus Services PR Manager (South West and Wales) Karen Baxter said on Monday: 'First is a commercial company and is not, therefore, affected by the Public Sector Workers Strike.

'The Park and Ride services should also operate.

It was business as usual for other public sector organisations.

Sergeant John Livingstone of Ivybridge Police said: 'None of the Ivybridge staff are going on strike so business as usual'.

And Jenny Alexander, Practice Manager at South Brent Health Centre said on Tuesday: 'I would advise that none of the staff at this Health Centre will be taking part in the industrial action on Wednesday'.

In Dartmouth some schoolchildren got a 'holiday' while for others it was classroom business as usual as some teachers walked out and others stayed in.

All 530 pupils at Dartmouth Academy were forced to stay at home after head teacher Nick Hindmarsh closed the school.

He said: 'It might have been possible to run some of the Year 11 and primary classes but we couldn't know until the Wednesday morning so on health and safety grounds we took the decision to close.'

But the next door St. John's Roman Catholic Primary School was open as usual and so was the village school at Stoke Fleming with 180 pupils.

Blackawton Primary School – with a total of 145 pupils – was able to continue with three of its five classes but the other two were closed for the day.

Dartmouth's council run lower ferry was not operating as members of the Transport and General Works Union walked out for the day.