'Give us the power to run academies in Northampton' says opposition leader - after recent demise of schools trust
Last month the Education Fellowship, which formerly ran Blackthorn Primary School and Thorplands Primary School, announced it would have to hand its schools back to the Department for Education due to ailing finances.
A 2014 report by the Education Funding Agency raised serious concerns about the way its funds were being managed - questioning why academy bosses spent £20,000 on a "fact-finding" trip to New York.
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Hide AdAt April's full Northampton Borough Council meeting, Labour group leader Councillor Danielle Stone (Lab, Castle), will propose the borough council is given the powers to run its own school academies.
Councillor Stone's motion comes after a report by parliamentary education select committee recommended local councils were given the power to run academies.
The Local Government Association is also in favour of thew move, recently stating local authorities could play a big part in "raising education standards and improving life chances" by setting up and running academy schools and, where necessary, taking on the running of failing academies.
Detractors say the simplest solution would be to abandon the programme of academisation put forward by the Government altogether by simply bringing all schools under local authority control.
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Hide AdCouncillor Stone's motion asks the council to Secretary of State for Education to amend the legal ruling, which currently prevents local authorities sponsoring academy chains and setting up free schools.
The motion continues to say the council should "use its influence to remove unnecessary red tape that currently prevents high performing maintained schools from becoming academy sponsors."
Councillors will vote on the proposals at the full borough council meeting on Monday, April 24, at the Guildhall. The meeting is due to start at 6.30pm.