Page 6 - link magazine
P. 6

6     The Link Magazine • October 2001
                                      Arthur Cohen        Swindon education department fails Ofsted - continued
                                   R.H.A.D. M.S.H.A.A.
                                                            "It reflects our un-              the belief that given the
                                     COUNTY               derstanding and belief              resources, the political
                                  HEARING AID             that there have been                commitment and the
                                                          failures at every level
                                    SERVICES              of the local authority              existing professional-
                                                                                              ism of our teachers, we
                                                          ever since the inception            can achieve a real im-
                               The world's finest hearing aids
                                                          of the new LEA in                  provement in the qual-
                               at the most competitive prices.
                                                          1997."                             ity of education in the
                                Home visits without charge  Primary, secondary               town."
                                      or obligation.      and special school                   Andrew Nye, chair
                                 Special terms for over 60's.  headteachers have             of the Swindon Asso-
                               Thirty day full atonev hack guarantee.  agreed to work with   ciation of Primary
                                                          Swindon to salvage a               Heads, characterised
                                Tel: 01793 870047         solution on condition
                                                                            Director of Education  nwlnaon Louncn as
                                 6 Romney Way, The Laurels,  that:           Mike Lusty, remains  having a macho cul-
                                  Shaw, Swindon, SN5 5QB  1. political leaders  in post to provide  ture. He described it as
                                                            work together   continuity and liaison  'unreconstructed town
                                                            in the interests of              hall management more
                                                            the children and schools;  appropriate to a time when it last
                                                         2. education be the highest  ran education in 1973.' "Swindon
     PHOENIX SURGERY                                        priority for Swindon Council;  has been proud of having a low
                                                         3. officers are given the power  council tax and fond of reminding
        Dunwich Drive, Toothill Village Centre              to act and make changes, and  people of central government de-
                                                            that the LEA co-operates fully  ficiencies, whilst not always spend-
                                                                                     ing all the available money, and
             Dr Peter Swinyard                              with any external provider  mis-managing what it has spent.
                                                            appointed by the DfES;
                                                                                       "Head teachers have not been lis-
                                                         4. there is full and public recog-
            Dr Robert Forrester                             nition of the serious under-  tened to in the past. As a result of
                                                            funding of schools and there  Ofsted we have given Swindon a
                                      L
                                                                                     very hard time and we believe there
                           i4 Centra  Sa►iH °''             is a significant injection of
         Servifl West a                                     money in the next financial  is now a commitment to change.
                                                            year to dramatically narrow the  "Schools have been doing well
            New patients welcome                            funding gap of £6.5 million,  in spite of Swindon Council; to-
                                                            and that funding be sustained;  gether we can build a good educa-
                                                                                     tion system. If not, Swindon will
                 (01793) 600440                          5. internal improvements be  no longer be an education author-
                                                            identified and opportunities to  ity."
                                                            use external providers be
                                                            explored; the criteria for  • Swindon education's governor
                                                            decision making being     support is the first council
                                                            improving quality and raising  service to receive the prestigious
                                                            the achievement of children  Charter Mark
                   •                 01 0                   and young people in the town.  • Children bus out to Fairford
                                                           Mr Wells added, "the head-  - see page 12
                                                         teachers in Swindon are united in  • New school in a mobile - page 13
   Community                                                Ken Livingstone style mayor unlikely

      Dividend                                           Swindon Council is likely to retain the leader and cabinet system of
                                                         local government and not opt for an elected mayor, following a report
                                                         to a council meeting on 27 September, as The Link is distributed.
       Scheme                                              In the last year the council has  findings were being reported to a
                                                         carried out a consultation exercise  Consultation Review Panel com-
     A minimum of 1%                                     into the way in which the council's  prised of the three political group
      of the Society's                                   business should be conducted in  leaders and three prominent lay
                                                         future, a requirement on all larger  people: Mike Hopkins, Principal
   profits are returned                                  authorities who must submit their  of Swindon College; Phil Baker of
       to projects to                                    conclusions to the government be-  Voluntary Action Swindon and
      benefit the local                                  fore putting any new systems into  David Saunders from the Swin-
                                                         place.                     don Chamber of Commerce and
   community through                                       A questionnaire was circulated  Industry.
                                Co-op assistant manager Liam
      the Community                                      to every household in Swindon,  It will be for the council to de-
                               Lambert presents a cheque to the
     Dividend Scheme.         Lower Shaw Farm children's project  but a significant response is un-  cide which system is submitted to
                                                         likely. The council will also rely on  the Department of Transport, Lo-
                                                         feedback from its Citizen's Panel  cal Government and the Regions.
     If you think a project you know of could
                                                         of 2,640 local residents, focus  Councillors are known to favour
         qualify for a grant of up to (1,000             groups, presentation to area pan- the cabinet arrangement and early
                                                         els and parish councils, and a con-  indications are that the outcome of
     call 0800 435902                                    ference of those it sees as  the consultation process, whatever
                                                         'stakeholders'. The exercise has  its validity, will justify no signifi-
      for more information                               been more intensive than most  cant change.
                                                         neighbouring councils who have  The government has insisted
    Oxford, Swindon & Gloucester                         in most cases, not surveyed every  that some councils go to referen-
                                                         household.                 dum, but this is not expected to be
                                                           As The Link went to press, the  the case in Swindon.
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