Walsall Council to reject Government academies plan
Walsall Council is to reject the Government's controversial plans to convert all schools to academies by 2020.
Bosses have declared academies are not a proven model for success and also claimed the move would have a knock-on effect on the authority costing them up to £1 million in lost business rates because all schools would effectively become charity.
This week the council passed a motion to write to Education Secretary Nicky Morgan to express the authority's position which is firmly against all borough schools becoming independent.
Labour group leader Sean Coughlan put the motion forward. He said: "The Conservative Government's announcement that every school will be an academy by 2020 heralds the final episode in the destruction of democratically accountable state education.
"This flies in the face of any evidence about the validity of the academy model as a vehicle for school improvement.
"This starts with the Education Select Committee which said that 'there is at present no convincing evidence of the impact of Academy status on attainment in primary schools'."
The Labour move received wide backing at the council including among the leading Conservatives who are in control. Council leader Mike Bird said: "There are some successful academies but it does not suit them all. The other matter will be that if schools do academise it will cost us between £800,000 and £1m in lost business rates."
