Greens u-turn on academy policy? (From The Argus)
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Greens u-turn on academy policy in Brighton?
11:20am Friday 18th January 2013 in News By Tim Ridgway, Local government reporter
Council chiefs are backing a bid for a new school to be free from town-hall control – in an apparent policy u-turn.
City College Brighton and Hove is drawing up plans to establish a studio school for about 300 14 to 19-year-olds.
As bosses finalise the bid to the Government Brighton and Hove City Council leader Jason Kitcat has confirmed there has been cross-party backing for the proposal, which will follow the academy process.
It marks a shift in the Green administration’s education policy, which had previously said it opposed free schools.
Political opponents have questioned the u-turn, which would help lift pressure on the city’s school places crisis.
Cllr Kitcat described it as a “unique proposal”, adding: “We have received assurances from City College that admissions won’t be selective and that a broad curriculum will be taught by qualified teachers receiving national pay and conditions.
"On that basis I’m delighted that all three political groups have backed this bid. The Green Party doesn’t support the government’s dismantling of council controlled education through academies and free schools.
"However, they are the only route through which our city can create much needed new schools. I believe this was a bid worth supporting.”
Offering GCSEs and vocational training in digital media the new school, advocates argue, will benefit those who prefer a more “hands-on” way of learning.
A bid has been submitted to the Department for Education and a decision is due in May. Coun Kitcat said all members of the Green group supported the bid.
Sue Shanks, Green chairman of the council’s children and young people committee and a strong critic of academies, had not responded to The Argus at the time of going print.
However, on her Twitter page she wrote: “The system is mad. We cannot build a new school. The government approves them. We support as we have a responsibility for children.”
Conservative councillor Andrew Wealls, who supports the plan, said: “Perhaps the Greens will now also stop calling this privatisation of education.
"It’s a great pity it has taken them so long as our crisis in school places in the city could have been addressed far earlier had they not clung on to their ideological objection.”
Labour group leader Gill Mitchell said her party has only ever given very provisional support to the proposal and had agreed they would need far more information on the plan before they could consider giving it any support at all.
Comments(22)
upsidedowntuctuc
says...
11:37am Fri 18 Jan 13
Martha Gunn
says...
12:04pm Fri 18 Jan 13
Numptyone
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12:05pm Fri 18 Jan 13
But if I am honest, I am sure that if the Councillors were paid a living wage then we could get a better service to the residents! rofl
fascinator
says...
12:06pm Fri 18 Jan 13
Also the car park has disappeared at the sports centre there and they did not even send me a membership renewal notice. A conspiracy theorist might think that the people who run the school wanted the sports centre to fall into disuse so they could close it to the public.
HJarrs
says...
12:08pm Fri 18 Jan 13
Councillor Andrew Wealls must know that many in his party are calling for profit to be made from Free and Academy schools. Each school is its own business, soon to be floated to the private sector. If he doesn't support that, then get out of the Conservatives!
tdwright
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1:02pm Fri 18 Jan 13
Only the Argus could take something so sensible and use it as ammunition.
Martha Gunn
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1:22pm Fri 18 Jan 13
But hang on a minute it now seems that tdwright is suffering from the same complaint. Possibly a Greenthink/Greenspea
k epidemic!
HJarrs
says...
3:04pm Fri 18 Jan 13
Martha Gunn wrote:I fail to see what is "green speak" or "greenthink" whatever these are. Quite simply, there is no policy change contrary to the headline, the best decision in the circumstances has been made for B&H, which is pragmatic and you Tories are rapidly privitising education as you are the NHS. I hope you have shares in Capita!
HJarrs - possibly the most alarming and pathetic case of Greenthink and Greenspeak ever to appear here. She should seek specialist advice about her affliction.
But hang on a minute it now seems that tdwright is suffering from the same complaint. Possibly a Greenthink/Greenspea
k epidemic!
Martha Gunn
says...
3:53pm Fri 18 Jan 13
HJarrs
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4:09pm Fri 18 Jan 13
Martha Gunn wrote:Thanks I am quite familiar with the works of George Orwell, hence my confusion caused by your comments.
Do try to keep up Jarrs old girl. Or should I send you a copy of Nineteen Eighty-Four c/o Kings House?
Do you agree with the continuing privitisation of education and the NHS then?
Plantpot
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4:21pm Fri 18 Jan 13
HJarrs wrote:NHS - Couldn't care less who the provider is as long as care is of the right quality.
Martha Gunn wrote:Thanks I am quite familiar with the works of George Orwell, hence my confusion caused by your comments.
Do try to keep up Jarrs old girl. Or should I send you a copy of Nineteen Eighty-Four c/o Kings House?
Do you agree with the continuing privitisation of education and the NHS then?
Education - Couldn't care less who the provider is as long as education is of the right quality.
Martha Gunn
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4:27pm Fri 18 Jan 13
HJarrs
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4:28pm Fri 18 Jan 13
Plantpot wrote:Well, if you want a mess like the railways, only held together by the glue of thick wads of taxpayer's cash then you won't have a problem, but where we are heading I doubt these services will be free in the long run.
HJarrs wrote:NHS - Couldn't care less who the provider is as long as care is of the right quality.
Martha Gunn wrote:Thanks I am quite familiar with the works of George Orwell, hence my confusion caused by your comments.
Do try to keep up Jarrs old girl. Or should I send you a copy of Nineteen Eighty-Four c/o Kings House?
Do you agree with the continuing privitisation of education and the NHS then?
Education - Couldn't care less who the provider is as long as education is of the right quality.
Maxwell's Ghost
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5:19pm Fri 18 Jan 13
jimquadorig
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5:51pm Fri 18 Jan 13
4:27pm Fri 18 Jan 13
Oh dear Ms Jarrs. Not familiar it seems with the conventions of spelling. I'll throw a dictionary in with the bundle. In the meantime try 'privatization' for size.”
This is the UK Martha. We use an English dictionary. Its "privatisation" you plonker.
HJarrs
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10:50pm Fri 18 Jan 13
Maxwell's Ghost wrote:Nope, never bought and sold a council property and I don't have a problem with people that have, despite not agreeing with the policy that has been in place for nearly 30 years. Mind you you couldn't get odds on council housing being sold off if the Tories get a majority next time.
Some people object to privatidation yet some of the same people didn't mind benefitting from buying and selling council properties. Was that you HJarrs by any chance?
Anyway my position on council housing is irrelevant to my comment above.
Martha Gunn
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11:04pm Fri 18 Jan 13
jimquadorig wrote:OK check it out - the OED is quite clear IZO is always better than ISO. You are the plonker for imagining that ...ISE is somehow better than ...IZE Get literate.
Martha Gunn says...
4:27pm Fri 18 Jan 13
Oh dear Ms Jarrs. Not familiar it seems with the conventions of spelling. I'll throw a dictionary in with the bundle. In the meantime try 'privatization' for size.”
This is the UK Martha. We use an English dictionary. Its "privatisation" you plonker.
george smith
says...
7:43am Sat 19 Jan 13
Martha Gunn wrote:Either a green councillor or an ardent supporter, either way her pious out pourings wouldn't encourage anyone to vote green. A bit of an own goal.
HJarrs - possibly the most alarming and pathetic case of Greenthink and Greenspeak ever to appear here. She should seek specialist advice about her affliction.
But hang on a minute it now seems that tdwright is suffering from the same complaint. Possibly a Greenthink/Greenspea
k epidemic!
Maxwell's Ghost
says...
7:48am Sat 19 Jan 13
You are just like those paid by the tobacco industry in the 50s, the medicine industry in the 90s and the mass food production industry today.
These industries need recruits like you to spread the word and protect these industries which are worth billions but thankfully there is still enough integrity in the rest of the UK and some of the media to question people like you. You have no objectivity because your livelihood relies on having none.
However, this council has probably done more damage to the Eco cause and the Green Party in the same way the lib Dems have by getting into bed with the Tories.
As for Eco industries and Eco media and blogs, they too are now considered the quack medicine of the 21st century.
This council is finished and Ms Lucas will struggle to retain her seat and all because none of you and your Eco industry funded supporters actually listen to the local people.
Plantpot
says...
7:59am Sat 19 Jan 13
HJarrs wrote:You've hit the nail on the head - the railways aren't privatised, they are an attempt to get a little bit pregnant. However, I had the misfortune to commute in the old BR days. I can assure you that whatever we have now is infinitely better than when the comrades ran the show.
Plantpot wrote:Well, if you want a mess like the railways, only held together by the glue of thick wads of taxpayer's cash then you won't have a problem, but where we are heading I doubt these services will be free in the long run.
HJarrs wrote:NHS - Couldn't care less who the provider is as long as care is of the right quality.
Martha Gunn wrote:Thanks I am quite familiar with the works of George Orwell, hence my confusion caused by your comments.
Do try to keep up Jarrs old girl. Or should I send you a copy of Nineteen Eighty-Four c/o Kings House?
Do you agree with the continuing privitisation of education and the NHS then?
Education - Couldn't care less who the provider is as long as education is of the right quality.
My experience of private health care is light years ahead of the NHS.
Plantpot
says...
8:02am Sat 19 Jan 13
John Fallon says...
11:29am Fri 18 Jan 13