Councils to join forces to save jobs?

WARRINGTON Borough Council wants to join forces with neighbouring Halton and a private firm to provide improvement services to local schools – and save the jobs of skilled staff.
The move would enable the council to retain the expertise of its in-house staff and open up the possibility of generating income for both councils by selling the service to schools outside the area.
It would involve setting up an innovative joint venture agreement between Lib Dem-Tory controlled Warrington and Labour-controlled Halton.
Senior officers from the two councils have been working together on the proposals for some time.
Cllr Sheila Woodyatt, (pictured) Warrington’s executive member for education, said Warrington had historically provided an in-house school improvement service which was well regarded by schools and had a track record of enabling schools to develop and produce positive result.
The service had been grant funded by the government – but this funding was being withdrawn from the end of March.
“Sadly the government doesn’t seem to appreciate its value,” she said. “But we have a lot of expertise and it would be sad to lose this.”
Schools had been consulted and the initial feedback was that the majority of primary schools would be happy to continue purchasing the service under the Joint Venture scheme, secondary schools were less likely to. However, they had a proven track record of supporting each other very effectively.
Three private providers had also expressed an interest in being involved should the proposals go to tender.
Some councils had decided to cease providing the service and make their staff redundant. But Warrington wanted to retain its excellent in-house team.
Cllr Woodyatt said the scheme had the potential to generate income by providing the service to schools outside the area, would retain experienced staff who would otherwise become redundant and transfer any financial risk to the private company.
It would also allow for other councils to join in the arrangement.
The proposals are subject to schools in Warrington agreeing to fund an interim service from next April to September to allow time to set up the joint venture.