Council battle over future running of schools

Opposition members have "called in" the decision to allow Oasis Community Learning to take control of two new city academies, claiming it will break-up any cohesion in the education system in the city.

Tory education boss Peter Baillie opted for Oasis ahead of the Southampton Education Trust, a local consortium made up of representatives from organisations including the city's two universities, three further education colleges, the VT Group, Carnival and Associated British Ports, at a Cabinet meeting last week.

He will be forced to justify the decision at a Cabinet meeting held in the next ten days.

Southampton City Council scrutiny panel chairman, Matt Stevens, was responsible for ordering councillors to look again at the decision.

He said: "This decision is a prime example of Tory political dogma overriding common sense.

"The Labour group is not opposed to diversity in education but opposed to education with no local accountability.

"The reason the authority opted to take the choice itself is to ensure local interests were considered and elected representatives had a say.

"Now the Cabinet, who did not listen to fellow councillors or education professionals, has made a decision that will create a two-tier system in Southampton and result in the break-up of any cohesion.

The move has been slammed by Peter Baillie, who accused Cllr Stevens of "playing politics with children's education".

He said: "I'm deeply disappointed at Matt Stevens' move to call in the decision and I don't believe he has cross-party support.

"I will look at any new evidence and if there is just reason I will look at the decision again but I believe the call-in is based on spurious grounds."

The scrutiny panel now has ten days in which to meet to discuss reasons for calling in the decision.

Cllr Baillie will then be given the option to reconsider his decision but is under no obligation to change it.