1. GOVERNMENT WHITE PAPER ‘EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE EVERYWHERE’
That this Council notes:-
· That despite the significant opposition to the proposals in the White Paper, Educational Excellence Everywhere, published in March, the Government has reiterated that it wants all schools to become academies within multi-academy trusts (MATs) by 2022 and will force them to do so if they are in local authorities that it determines to be no longer ‘viable’ or to be ‘underperforming’.
· That the plans will be incredibly expensive with estimates on the cost to the taxpayer as high as £1.3 billion. Forced academisation will happen at a time when funding per pupil in real terms is set to fall by as much as 8 per cent or more, meaning that scarce funds that could otherwise be spent on children’s education will instead be wasted on an unnecessary top-down reorganisation of schools.
· That the plans are not supported by any evidence that academy status in and of itself improves standards of education. Around 85% of local authority maintained schools are good or outstanding.
· That the plans will remove from parents the right to elect representatives to the governing body of their child’s school. There will be no requirement for academy governing bodies to have local authority representatives or for MATs to have elected staff governors.
· That the plans entail the break-up of the national system of pay and conditions for teachers. Academy trusts or individual academies will have to make decisions at a school level. This will be a distraction from time that could be better spent on teaching and learning.
· That the plans are indicative of a Government with the wrong priorities for education. The proposals in the white paper will do nothing to address - and may in fact worsen - teacher shortages, a lack of school places in many parts of the country, chaos over curriculum and assessment changes and funding pressures in schools and colleges.
· That the plans have attracted widespread opposition from parents, school staff, governors, heads and MPs and Councillors from across the political spectrum.
This Council therefore resolves to:
· Oppose the Government’s proposals and undertakes to speak out against, and encourage campaigning against the plans.
· Note that given the scale of the opposition these changes are by no means inevitable. School governing bodies should not therefore rush or feel pressurised into converting to academy status.
· Reject the idea of forming protective or local MATs in advance of any proposals being enacted.
· Call a meeting of school governors, trade unions and parents to highlight the Council’s position on the white paper.
· Work with other councils, trade unions, parents and governor groups to oppose the provisions in the White Paper.
Proposed by: Councillor Richard Price
Seconded by: Councillor Wendy Cooksey
2. PROPOSED HS2 ROUTE IN THE BOROUGH
That this Council notes:
· the apparent intent of the government to create the new HS2 railway system
· the present altered suggestion for the route to go through Aston and Bramley.
That this Council therefore resolves to
(a) Oppose the intent to re-route HS2
(b) Persuade the government to abolish the project entirely.
Proposed by: Councillor John Turner
Seconded by: Councillor Mick Elliott
Minutes:
GOVERNMENT WHITE PAPER ‘EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE EVERYWHERE’
Moved by Councillor Price and seconded by Councillor Cooksey:
That this Council notes:-
· That despite the significant opposition to the proposals in the White Paper, Educational Excellence Everywhere, published in March, the Government has reiterated that it wants all schools to become academies within multi-academy trusts (MATs) by 2022 and will force them to do so if they are in local authorities that it determines to be no longer ‘viable’ or to be ‘underperforming’.
· That the plans will be incredibly expensive with estimates on the cost to the taxpayer as high as £1.3 billion. Forced academisation will happen at a time when funding per pupil in real terms is set to fall by as much as 8 per cent or more, meaning that scarce funds that could otherwise be spent on children’s education will instead be wasted on an unnecessary top-down reorganisation of schools.
· That the plans are not supported by any evidence that academy status in and of itself improves standards of education. Around 85% of local authority maintained schools are good or outstanding.
· That the plans will remove from parents the right to elect representatives to the governing body of their child’s school. There will be no requirement for academy governing bodies to have local authority representatives or for MATs to have elected staff governors.
· That the plans entail the break-up of the national system of pay and conditions for teachers. Academy trusts or individual academies will have to make decisions at a school level. This will be a distraction from time that could be better spent on teaching and learning.
· That the plans are indicative of a Government with the wrong priorities for education. The proposals in the white paper will do nothing to address - and may in fact worsen - teacher shortages, a lack of school places in many parts of the country, chaos over curriculum and assessment changes and funding pressures in schools and colleges.
· That the plans have attracted widespread opposition from parents, school staff, governors, heads and MPs and Councillors from across the political spectrum.
This Council therefore resolves to:
· Oppose the Government’s proposals and undertakes to speak out against, and encourage campaigning against the plans.
· Note that given the scale of the opposition these changes are by no means inevitable. School governing bodies should not therefore rush or feel pressurised into converting to academy status.
· Reject the idea of forming protective or local MATs in advance of any proposals being enacted.
· Call a meeting of school governors, trade unions and parents to highlight the Council’s position on the white paper.
· Work with other councils, trade unions, parents and governor groups to oppose the provisions in the White Paper.
An amendment to the motion was proposed by the Deputy Leader of the Council and seconded by Councillor Hoddinott to delete the words “Reject the idea of forming protective or local MATs in advance of any proposals being enacted.”
Upon being put to the vote, the amendment was carried and became the substantive motion, which read as follows:
This Council therefore resolves to:
· Oppose the Government’s proposals and undertakes to speak out against, and encourage campaigning against the plans.
· Note that given the scale of the opposition these changes are by no means inevitable. School governing bodies should not therefore rush or feel pressurised into converting to academy status.
· Call a meeting of school governors, trade unions and parents to highlight the Council’s position on the white paper.
· Work with other councils, trade unions, parents and governor groups to oppose the provisions in the White Paper.
Upon on being put to the vote, the motion was carried.
PROPOSED HS2 ROUTE IN THE BOROUGH
Moved by Councillor John Turner and seconded by Councillor Mick Elliott:
That this Council notes:
· the apparent intent of the government to create the new HS2 railway system
· the present altered suggestion for the route to go through Aston and Bramley.
That this Council therefore resolves to
a) Oppose the intent to re-route HS2
b) Persuade the government to abolish the project entirely.
An amendment to the motion was proposed by Councillor Sue Ellis and seconded by Councillor Jenny Andrews to delete the words “persuade the government to abolish the project entirely” and replace with the words “work with our MPs and other likeminded councils to identify the most beneficial transport infrastructure for Rotherham and South Yorkshire.”
Upon being put to the vote, the amendment was carried and became the substantive motion, which read as follows:
That this Council resolves to
a) Oppose the intent to re-route HS2
b) Work with our MPs and other likeminded councils to identify the most beneficial transport infrastructure for Rotherham and South Yorkshire.
Upon being put to the vote, the motion was carried.