Press Release

Local Authorities

3 July 2008

Commenting on Ed Balls’ announcement on new roles for local authorities, Christine Blower, Acting General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, Europe’s largest teaching union said;

“Much of Ed Balls's announcement is a logical extension of the Children's Plan. We welcome the fact that schools will now have a seat at the table when it comes to decisions about the future of children's services.
 
“His decision to require local authorities to issue notices of improvement on schools misses the point. It is because local authorities' capacity has been progressively whittled away over the years that they have often been unable to provide necessary support to schools. Requiring authorities to rap the knuckles of schools rather than restore and build up much missed support services is both punitive and the wrong target.
 
“He should do two things: give back to local authorities the full power to support schools, but most importantly he should write to the 638 schools to say that they are not failing and commend the hard work they are doing.”