Nigel Martin

The County Council is ‘consulting’ on three possible Academies in the County including one in the Durham City Area.

An Academy is a new school set up to replace one or more existing schools and must have sponsorship of £2M. In return for the money the sponsor gets the right to pack the school governing body with his/her/its own nominees and the Academy can make its own decisions on school admissions.

Naturally the Labour run County Council does not want to lose control of a school like this, so has come up with the cunning idea of being a partner sponsor where the Council puts up half of the additional money on the understanding that the sponsor donor of the other half plays ball on things like admissions.

Apart from believing that it is the quality of school management that makes a good school, not additional cash (although additional cash is always welcome) this is a bizarre way of doing business.

Firstly the Council’s additional £1M is money being taken away from other things the Council should be doing and why should one school get this additional money from local funds over and above what the other schools get.

Secondly, why would a sponsor give £1M when they don’t get influence in the school, and why should people/organisations buy such influence anyway?

Thirdly, the Academy arrangements lie outside any plans the Council may have in investing in the refurbishment/replacement of school under the Goverments Building School for The Future project.

This cannot be the right way to go about things.

Whether you agree with me or not, you can have your say on Wednesday 14 November at a public meeting at Gilesgate Comprehensive School and on Thursday 15 November at Belmont Comprehensive. Both meetings start at 7 pm.