Following the news ten days ago that Isle of Wight education could be managed with Southampton and this week’s Cabinet meeting, this in from the council, in their words – Ed.
Closer working between Southampton City Council and the Isle of Wight Council has come a step nearer.
The IW Council’s cabinet on Tuesday (11 Oct) formally agreed to develop a working relationship with Southampton for school improvement and related educational functions covering the 2011/12 school year.
Now set to turn to Southampton
The Island council has historically struggled to recruit officers to work in this area and has been forced to employ consultants which has raised issues of continuity. However it is now set to turn to Southampton City Council as part of an emerging relationship between the two authorities under which they will share expertise.
The arrangement will include the IW Council offering reciprocal services to Southampton City which means the Island authority should save money as well as engaging the expertise it requires.
Cllr Dawn Cousins, cabinet member for children’s services and education, who introduced the paper on Tuesday, said the success of the new arrangement would be regularly reviewed by elected members.
“This is not a takeover”
“This is not a takeover – it is about two authorities with excellence in some areas and the need for improvement in others working together to their mutual benefit and to the benefit of residents in both areas,” she said.
She added: “This arrangement will provide us with immediate access to a broader range of expertise than we are currently able to engage. It also gives our staff the opportunity to work on a broader scale as well as promoting the sharing of expertise across head teachers in both local authorities.”
Cabinet paperwork
Below is the paperwork presented to the Cabinet
