Saturday, 10 March 2007
Another milestone week and one of watching the administration twist and turn.
I chair the Children Services Scrutiny and at that whole issue of school finances, school reorganisation and the competition for the new schools was discussed.
The finances for schools is complicated but it was made clear by the heads of the schools that the amount assigned for retraining, job security, redeployment and redundancy was not going to be enough. The cabinet member assured the head teachers and the panel that there was enough but I do not think anyone was convinced.
The issue of bidding came up. Proposed new schools under the recent education legislation must be put out to tender, to allow other organisations other than the authority to get a chance a running schools. This is all part of the governments diversity of provision agenda. So in April a variety of organisations will put in bids to run the new schools in the city.
Up until recently the School Organisation Committee (Cllrs, Governors, LSC and Diocesan) would have made the decision. But from the end of the month that committee disappears and either the authority or School Adjudicator takes the decisions. If the authority is one of the bidders for the new school the Adjudicator takes the decision if they are not the authority via its cabinet take the decision on who is running the new schools.
The cabinet member and officers announced that the authority will be withdrawing from the bidding process allowing the authority to be the decision maker in June. This means who ever the cabinet member is in June will be judging the bids and choosing one or two to run the cities new schools.
Is it a good idea? Well it allows the cabinet to make political decisions over who is running city schools. Depending on your point of view it means if it does not like Academies (that have independent status and would not be part of the Local authority family of schools) it will be able not to choose an Academy bid. If the cabinet does not like Trusts or any other type of organisation to run its schools it can reject them. The decision will be about who is the best solution for the Children, Staff and the city.
It is shame that there will be not option for standard maintained community schools but which would you rather, imposition of organisation that could be wholly unsuited to running Southampton schools (e.g. evangelical faith organisation) or local authority applying local knowledge and local accountability to the decision. I know which I would prefer. The major draw back is that the only choice the authority will have will be between trusts status schools and/or Academy schools proposed by outside organisations.
Campaigning
This is lowest key campaign that I can remember. That does not bode well for turnout on Election Day. I have been out leafleting and delivering letters to voters.
Shocked to find this week a piece of threatening male from a Neo Nazi group in my council mail this week. The letter was about the Travellers site in Swaythling but was overtly racist. The group who claim authorship is a well known fascist neo Nazi group, racist, anti homosexual and xenophobic, and committed to use violence to achieve its political ends. It is not every day this type of letter arrives on your doorstep and I was concerned. Reporting the letter to the council legal department and making the local police aware. I believe in free speech but not the politics of hate. I was even more shocked this week to discover that a local Swaythling cllr had petrol poured through their letter box. I had forgotten that people still use violence to attempt to get their point of view across and that putting you head above the parapet to express a view could allow someone to hit it just because what you or they believe.
Though I am not surprised by venim that has been exchanged over the issue of the transit site. I have to say certain political groups have to take some responsibility for fuelling the flames of hate on this issue.
News or Gossip
The Libdems are facing a leadership election. The mayor has been telling people at Mayoral functions that he will be bidding for the LibDems leadership in May or will be sitting as an independent to ensure he is a power broker. I fear this as he is known for being on the right of the Libdems politically and would not be against as LibDems and Conservative pacts. I have to advise him that independents in hung councils always regards themselves as important but ultimately are not.
I chair the Children Services Scrutiny and at that whole issue of school finances, school reorganisation and the competition for the new schools was discussed.
The finances for schools is complicated but it was made clear by the heads of the schools that the amount assigned for retraining, job security, redeployment and redundancy was not going to be enough. The cabinet member assured the head teachers and the panel that there was enough but I do not think anyone was convinced.
The issue of bidding came up. Proposed new schools under the recent education legislation must be put out to tender, to allow other organisations other than the authority to get a chance a running schools. This is all part of the governments diversity of provision agenda. So in April a variety of organisations will put in bids to run the new schools in the city.
Up until recently the School Organisation Committee (Cllrs, Governors, LSC and Diocesan) would have made the decision. But from the end of the month that committee disappears and either the authority or School Adjudicator takes the decisions. If the authority is one of the bidders for the new school the Adjudicator takes the decision if they are not the authority via its cabinet take the decision on who is running the new schools.
The cabinet member and officers announced that the authority will be withdrawing from the bidding process allowing the authority to be the decision maker in June. This means who ever the cabinet member is in June will be judging the bids and choosing one or two to run the cities new schools.
Is it a good idea? Well it allows the cabinet to make political decisions over who is running city schools. Depending on your point of view it means if it does not like Academies (that have independent status and would not be part of the Local authority family of schools) it will be able not to choose an Academy bid. If the cabinet does not like Trusts or any other type of organisation to run its schools it can reject them. The decision will be about who is the best solution for the Children, Staff and the city.
It is shame that there will be not option for standard maintained community schools but which would you rather, imposition of organisation that could be wholly unsuited to running Southampton schools (e.g. evangelical faith organisation) or local authority applying local knowledge and local accountability to the decision. I know which I would prefer. The major draw back is that the only choice the authority will have will be between trusts status schools and/or Academy schools proposed by outside organisations.
Campaigning
This is lowest key campaign that I can remember. That does not bode well for turnout on Election Day. I have been out leafleting and delivering letters to voters.
Shocked to find this week a piece of threatening male from a Neo Nazi group in my council mail this week. The letter was about the Travellers site in Swaythling but was overtly racist. The group who claim authorship is a well known fascist neo Nazi group, racist, anti homosexual and xenophobic, and committed to use violence to achieve its political ends. It is not every day this type of letter arrives on your doorstep and I was concerned. Reporting the letter to the council legal department and making the local police aware. I believe in free speech but not the politics of hate. I was even more shocked this week to discover that a local Swaythling cllr had petrol poured through their letter box. I had forgotten that people still use violence to attempt to get their point of view across and that putting you head above the parapet to express a view could allow someone to hit it just because what you or they believe.
Though I am not surprised by venim that has been exchanged over the issue of the transit site. I have to say certain political groups have to take some responsibility for fuelling the flames of hate on this issue.
News or Gossip
The Libdems are facing a leadership election. The mayor has been telling people at Mayoral functions that he will be bidding for the LibDems leadership in May or will be sitting as an independent to ensure he is a power broker. I fear this as he is known for being on the right of the Libdems politically and would not be against as LibDems and Conservative pacts. I have to advise him that independents in hung councils always regards themselves as important but ultimately are not.
Sunday, 4 March 2007
What a month February has been for Southampton. Apologies for not updating the blog sooner.
The budget is the big story. Sitting down at council on the 14th February to make a decision on whose (political party) budget would be in place for next 12 months. There had been some negotiation between Labour and LibDems but no settlement reached. Therefore all in the Labour group sat down after the first of the breaks in proceedings and this is after each of the parties’ budgets had been put forward and voted down, expecting a protracted meeting of many more hours.
However the Libdems came up with an amended budget that all of us thought were just fishing for support. But to be honest to our surprise there had been deal done with the Tories and the amended budget was passed. Tory and Libdems making a deal! As well as allowing a budget to be passed by the Tory group not voting and the Mayor giving his casting vote to get the document passed. I have to honest all the group were taken aback.
The new budget sets a tax rise of 3.3 % with no new real benefits for Sotonians. The Tories got surprisingly little and for the sake of 1%, a deal was done! This makes me wonder that come May with the local elections the Libdems will do a deal with Tories and put them into power for the first time since 1971.
There appears to be a definite split in the Liberal Democratic ranks between left and right. I fear for the potential of pact between those on their right with the local conservatives.
The End of the month
I had some time off recently to spend a long week end abroad. I travelled to Amsterdam with my other half and we enjoyed the easy and cheap public transport, clean friendly place and excellent museums/attractions. I know I should not compare Southampton with a capital city, but I believe Southampton could deliver itself as a city of leisure and major attraction on the south coast. The authority could with a little bravery and cooperative partners deliver a welcoming and efficient public transport. As well as attractions that symbolise the city and make it the place to visit on the south coast?
I have also had more time to campaign as the local elections get ever closer in May. The yearly round of leaflets through doors, phone calls to Labour voters and door step canvassing.
Campaigning has changed considerably in the fifteen years I have been doing it. You did once try and persuade/educate voters often face to face. That is not longer the case, campaigning is now finding your voters/sympathises and improving their opinion of you and your party.
So few of the electorate vote in local elections (a max of 30% in Southampton) that effective targeting of voters is essential to ensure your vote is mobilised on election day. All the parties have realised this and that is why you will see very few teams campaigners on your doorstep, as they have good idea on if you and how you voted and you are probably not going to be for them.
The campaign so far has been positive and in places across the city that have not traditionally show support for Labour. Wards like Millbrook, Shirley, Peartree and Harefield are, according to the parties canvassing (by phone) real progress for Labour.
However still not enough the electorate understand local politics and vote on national issues. Not realising that having a Labour run council will benefit them for example, Labour in Southampton and pledged to deliver free Swimming for children of a primary school age. A need for children to improve fitness, have activity and access the excellent leisure centres in the city.
Your local council can and does make a difference to you, even if you are childless, professional couple living in your own property. That council tax pays for obvious the bin collections, street cleaning maintenance but also the services that are essential for your community and city to prosper – education strategy, planning services, public health, enforcement of a myriad of bye laws, open space, leisure activities and a lot more that we all take for granted.
I think what I am saying if you get someone on your doorstep or phone or by post asking for your support, how you vote or just asking you to vote. Please listen and consider using your vote to support local government. Ask them if you are not sure what their party can and will do for you and your community if they are put into power. That means forming the administration, leader and cabinet and by the way the parties will need more than 16 seats to take the administration.
The budget is the big story. Sitting down at council on the 14th February to make a decision on whose (political party) budget would be in place for next 12 months. There had been some negotiation between Labour and LibDems but no settlement reached. Therefore all in the Labour group sat down after the first of the breaks in proceedings and this is after each of the parties’ budgets had been put forward and voted down, expecting a protracted meeting of many more hours.
However the Libdems came up with an amended budget that all of us thought were just fishing for support. But to be honest to our surprise there had been deal done with the Tories and the amended budget was passed. Tory and Libdems making a deal! As well as allowing a budget to be passed by the Tory group not voting and the Mayor giving his casting vote to get the document passed. I have to honest all the group were taken aback.
The new budget sets a tax rise of 3.3 % with no new real benefits for Sotonians. The Tories got surprisingly little and for the sake of 1%, a deal was done! This makes me wonder that come May with the local elections the Libdems will do a deal with Tories and put them into power for the first time since 1971.
There appears to be a definite split in the Liberal Democratic ranks between left and right. I fear for the potential of pact between those on their right with the local conservatives.
The End of the month
I had some time off recently to spend a long week end abroad. I travelled to Amsterdam with my other half and we enjoyed the easy and cheap public transport, clean friendly place and excellent museums/attractions. I know I should not compare Southampton with a capital city, but I believe Southampton could deliver itself as a city of leisure and major attraction on the south coast. The authority could with a little bravery and cooperative partners deliver a welcoming and efficient public transport. As well as attractions that symbolise the city and make it the place to visit on the south coast?
I have also had more time to campaign as the local elections get ever closer in May. The yearly round of leaflets through doors, phone calls to Labour voters and door step canvassing.
Campaigning has changed considerably in the fifteen years I have been doing it. You did once try and persuade/educate voters often face to face. That is not longer the case, campaigning is now finding your voters/sympathises and improving their opinion of you and your party.
So few of the electorate vote in local elections (a max of 30% in Southampton) that effective targeting of voters is essential to ensure your vote is mobilised on election day. All the parties have realised this and that is why you will see very few teams campaigners on your doorstep, as they have good idea on if you and how you voted and you are probably not going to be for them.
The campaign so far has been positive and in places across the city that have not traditionally show support for Labour. Wards like Millbrook, Shirley, Peartree and Harefield are, according to the parties canvassing (by phone) real progress for Labour.
However still not enough the electorate understand local politics and vote on national issues. Not realising that having a Labour run council will benefit them for example, Labour in Southampton and pledged to deliver free Swimming for children of a primary school age. A need for children to improve fitness, have activity and access the excellent leisure centres in the city.
Your local council can and does make a difference to you, even if you are childless, professional couple living in your own property. That council tax pays for obvious the bin collections, street cleaning maintenance but also the services that are essential for your community and city to prosper – education strategy, planning services, public health, enforcement of a myriad of bye laws, open space, leisure activities and a lot more that we all take for granted.
I think what I am saying if you get someone on your doorstep or phone or by post asking for your support, how you vote or just asking you to vote. Please listen and consider using your vote to support local government. Ask them if you are not sure what their party can and will do for you and your community if they are put into power. That means forming the administration, leader and cabinet and by the way the parties will need more than 16 seats to take the administration.
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