First week as Lead Councillor for Education and Children's Services

This has been a busy first week as Lead Councillor For Education and Children's Services.

I have had several meetings with Anna Wright, Director of DEC's,and senior management at DEC's, about the forthcoming budget and protection of services and to reinforce local authority support for the possible building of a school on the Crescent Road site in East Reading.

This minority Labour Administration has publicly given its support for the proposed school and have written to the Oxford and Cherwell Valley spelling out our support to meet the needs of the children of East Reading. However, what is different from the previous Tory led administration is that we will not stand by and be sidelined from representing the parents of East Berkshire or act as cheerleaders not actively getting involved in the process.

We have recorded our support but we have reflected parents concerns from the consultation about admissions to the school, whether it will be a 11-18 school and vocational college that teaches academic subjects that all children need to thrive and progress and what accountability and representation will be in the governance and management of the school.

We look forward to the bid succeeding and empowering local parents in influencing the make up of the school.

Maiden Erlegh School

It is clear that we are looking to work in partnership with other local authorities and agencies to deliver high quality, value for money services and one of the first tasks I undertook is to contact other Lead Councillors of our neighbouring authorities and agencies welcoming contact and to work together.Whilst we are committed to cross boss border partnership we are unequivocal in defending the rights of our residents and parents in attending schools of their choice. We are committed to getting the best resolution for our parents who have been unfairly treated by Wokingham Local Authority by being kept out of the admissions criteria and this includes seeking counsel to take advice on challenging the decision.

BUY BACK FIGHTBACK

It has struck me that the last Tory led administration did not want the local Educational Authority to flourish but wanted to run down the services and sideline the authority in any challenge, accountability and monitoring processes that are needed to increase educational standards. What will be different in this administration is that we value the services the council provide to schools and children. That we do not want to run them down and end buy back services but we want to build them up as value for money quality services that schools want and need to buy back. There are many high quality services the council provide that are best practice and this administration intend on entering a consultation and dialogue with parents, governors, teachers and children as to what services will shape their education.