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WALTHAM FOREST: Education contract process criticised
THE council excluded backbench councillors from the decision to appoint VT Education and Skills (VTES) to run some of its education services, it has been claimed.
VTES was picked ahead of other bidders during the selection process late last year.
A "stakeholders" panel was set up, which included three councillors, a number of school governors and education representatives to scrutinise each bid.
But the three councillors, Liberal Democrat James O'Rourke, Labour's Adam Gladstone, and the Conservative's Marion Fitzgerald quit the panel, unhappy about the way the process was conducted.
Cllr Fitzgerald said: "We were not happy when we realised that the so-called stakeholders panel would not have any direct responsibility and would not be interviewing any of the applicants."
Cllr Fitzgerald said that different members of the panel would see different parts of the bids, so that members would be expected to vote without getting the full picture.
She also said that the overall vote by the panel would have only a small effect on the overall decision in any case.
She said: "Backbench councillors from all parties have therefore been excluded from meaningful active participation in this appointment."
After the members left the panel, the council's executive director for children and young people, Chris Kearnan, said that he was not concerned as councillors were not "stakeholders", an attitude described by Cllr Fitzgerald as "absurd".
At last Thursday's full council, education cabinet member Chris Robbins said he thought that involvement of backbenchers had been "thorough and extensive".
He said: "Cllr Fitzgerald is quite mistaken in saying that the council took the attitude that councillors should not be consulted, alongside stakeholders, as part of the procurement process for the new school improvement contract.
"The members who were included in the consultation, despite not being stakeholders as such, chose to be excluded, and wrote to the director expressing their reasons for this."
From April 1, VTES will take over some of the services currently provided by EduAction, including school improvement, admissions and pupil and student award functions.
It will also provide support to schools involved in the Government's Building Schools for the Future programme, which will eventually see every secondary school in the UK rebuilt or refurbished, mainly through the use of public-private partnerships.
VTES is part of the VT Group, which is one of the world's leading suppliers of military products.
The council's decision to choose an arms company to manage education has been criticised by some teachers and unions.
11:39am Thursday 27th March 2008
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CommentPosted by: High Street Resident, walthamstow on 12:02pm Thu 27 Mar 08
I am pleased to see that there are still some councilors- in all three parties - who can see through the politically bankrupt administration's manipulative corruption of the democratic process and refuse to be sucked into the web of spin and deception that surrounds Councilor Loakes and his cronies. I think we should be calling in the fraud squad to investigate this rotten administration. They stink to high heaven.
I am pleased to see that there are still some councilors- in all three parties - who can see through the politically bankrupt administration's manipulative corruption of the democratic process and refuse to be sucked into the web of spin and deception that surrounds Councilor Loakes and his cronies. I think we should be calling in the fraud squad to investigate this rotten administration. They stink to high heaven.
Posted by: Walthamster, E17 on 1:25pm Thu 27 Mar 08
How can we not be suspicious when the council is so strangely secretive about its process for awarding lucrative contracts?
This comes after the DFI (Dr Foster) scandal, in which the contractor produced a report full of faked information. And the recycling contract taken from a company that did the job efficiently and given to another that didn't -- why?
Do councillors think we'll go on voting them in no matter what they do?
How can we not be suspicious when the council is so strangely secretive about its process for awarding lucrative contracts?
This comes after the DFI (Dr Foster) scandal, in which the contractor produced a report full of faked information. And the recycling contract taken from a company that did the job efficiently and given to another that didn't -- why?
Do councillors think we'll go on voting them in no matter what they do?
Posted by: Stop Voting Labour, Waltham Forest on 1:46pm Thu 27 Mar 08
Sadly the current Loakes led Council seems to think that the only stakeholders in anything are the Labour party and that no-one else counts in any way at all.
We need a change of Council control and while the LibDems continue to prop up the failed and oppressive Labour junta that isn't going to happen. There is only one answer -
STOP VOTING LABOUR!
Sadly the current Loakes led Council seems to think that the only stakeholders in anything are the Labour party and that no-one else counts in any way at all.
We need a change of Council control and while the LibDems continue to prop up the failed and oppressive Labour junta that isn't going to happen. There is only one answer -
STOP VOTING LABOUR!
Posted by: Mr Khalid, walthamstow on 1:52pm Thu 27 Mar 08
all waste mony and kids sufer scool no book an no computing and eat junk food turky twizal and chips and rubish not helthy
all waste mony and kids sufer scool no book an no computing and eat junk food turky twizal and chips and rubish not helthy
Posted by: Observer on 2:42pm Thu 27 Mar 08
[quote][bold]Mr Khalid[/bold] wrote:
all waste mony and kids sufer scool no book an no computing and eat junk food turky twizal and chips and rubish not helthy[/quote] Well clearly education was a waste of time and money in your case - a total failure.
Mr Khalid wrote:
all waste mony and kids sufer scool no book an no computing and eat junk food turky twizal and chips and rubish not helthy
Well clearly education was a waste of time and money in your case - a total failure.
Posted by: voter, e10 on 3:04pm Thu 27 Mar 08
The Council cares so little for public opinion you can't help wondering if they've already got the next election's ballot papers filled in already. Are there any empty houses where you live? Check the electoral roll: there may be 20 people voting from it!
The Council cares so little for public opinion you can't help wondering if they've already got the next election's ballot papers filled in already. Are there any empty houses where you live? Check the electoral roll: there may be 20 people voting from it!
Posted by: Sidney Stake, Epping Green on 4:05pm Thu 27 Mar 08
the borough of Waltham Forest is rotten to the core from the top of Loakes head all the way down! I am glad I left the place. I moved out after many years there. I was offered a tidy sum for my business and home thank you very much. The developer said it was an up an coming area! What a joke! The only thing I miss are my Pie and Mash and Eels. But you can get them in Waitrose now. I am just retiring and sitting back watching my former area crumble under the weight of rotten councilorss. Good luck
the borough of Waltham Forest is rotten to the core from the top of Loakes head all the way down! I am glad I left the place. I moved out after many years there. I was offered a tidy sum for my business and home thank you very much. The developer said it was an up an coming area! What a joke! The only thing I miss are my Pie and Mash and Eels. But you can get them in Waitrose now. I am just retiring and sitting back watching my former area crumble under the weight of rotten councilorss. Good luck
Posted by: Uzor Dijeh, Leytonstone on 5:37pm Thu 27 Mar 08
[quote][bold]Stop Voting Labour[/bold] wrote:
Sadly the current Loakes led Council seems to think that the only stakeholders in anything are the Labour party and that no-one else counts in any way at all. We need a change of Council control and while the LibDems continue to prop up the failed and oppressive Labour junta that isn\'t going to happen. There is only one answer - STOP VOTING LABOUR![/quote] Great! I guess that means we can start voting for Conservatives.
[bold]LABOUR SUCKS![/bold]
Stop Voting Labour wrote:
Sadly the current Loakes led Council seems to think that the only stakeholders in anything are the Labour party and that no-one else counts in any way at all. We need a change of Council control and while the LibDems continue to prop up the failed and oppressive Labour junta that isn\'t going to happen. There is only one answer - STOP VOTING LABOUR!
Great! I guess that means we can start voting for Conservatives.
LABOUR SUCKS! Posted by: Work in education, Waltham Forest on 6:23pm Thu 27 Mar 08
I want to know why Edu Action's gone. I remember a big hoo ha of a "consultation" Chris Robbins sent round 2 years ago basically ramming the renewal of Edu Action's contract down our throats. Suddenly this VT gig rocks up in a hurry. Where were they a year ago and why weren't we consulted properly on them?
I want to know why Edu Action's gone. I remember a big hoo ha of a "consultation" Chris Robbins sent round 2 years ago basically ramming the renewal of Edu Action's contract down our throats. Suddenly this VT gig rocks up in a hurry. Where were they a year ago and why weren't we consulted properly on them?
Posted by: Chris, Essex on 6:52pm Thu 27 Mar 08
For ages past, the motto of those who wish to retain their control - even against the interests of those whom they are supposed to serve - is "Divide and rule".
LBWF council seems to be using this strategy in the most self-serving way in the most fundamental area - education.
The Council needed (so it says) to award a very high-value contract. A number of councillors (from all three parties) forming part of a "stake-holders' panel" were prevented from seeing for themselves the contract bids in their entirety - different councillors were only allowed to see different parts of the bids.
Those councillors realised that their responsibilities could not be met by this arrangement and, very wisely, refused to continue in that process.
The words attributed to the Education cabinet member Cllr Robbins show that, whatever he might have thought previously, he fails to realise that the involvement of those councillors was not 'thorough and extensive'.
And he seeks to stigmatise their refusal to continue in that folly by calling it a [choice to be excluded].
If those councillors had been allowed 'full and extensive' involvement the budget error of £3.4 million might have been prevented.
For ages past, the motto of those who wish to retain their control - even against the interests of those whom they are supposed to serve - is "Divide and rule".
LBWF council seems to be using this strategy in the most self-serving way in the most fundamental area - education.
The Council needed (so it says) to award a very high-value contract. A number of councillors (from all three parties) forming part of a "stake-holders' panel" were prevented from seeing for themselves the contract bids in their entirety - different councillors were only allowed to see different parts of the bids.
Those councillors realised that their responsibilities could not be met by this arrangement and, very wisely, refused to continue in that process.
The words attributed to the Education cabinet member Cllr Robbins show that, whatever he might have thought previously, he fails to realise that the involvement of those councillors was not 'thorough and extensive'.
And he seeks to stigmatise their refusal to continue in that folly by calling it a .
If those councillors had been allowed 'full and extensive' involvement the budget error of £3.4 million might have been prevented.
Posted by: Chris, Essex on 6:57pm Thu 27 Mar 08
Somehow the words 'choice to be excluded' got lost from the end of the penultimate paragraph from my previous message.
Sorry
Somehow the words 'choice to be excluded' got lost from the end of the penultimate paragraph from my previous message.
Sorry
Posted by: K, Waltham Forest on 12:09pm Fri 28 Mar 08
It's so obvious that Mr Khalid is Clyde Loakes attempting to distract anyone who wishes to discuss his serious failings in this borough.
It's so obvious that Mr Khalid is Clyde Loakes attempting to distract anyone who wishes to discuss his serious failings in this borough.
Posted by: caroline, walthamstow on 10:40am Mon 31 Mar 08
this site has a button to report posts that are offensive, unsuitable or racist - i have just used it to report MD250 and i would encourage anyone who feels similarly to do the same. if people find this facility doesn't work you could always email the editor of the paper direct.
this site has a button to report posts that are offensive, unsuitable or racist - i have just used it to report MD250 and i would encourage anyone who feels similarly to do the same. if people find this facility doesn't work you could always email the editor of the paper direct.
Posted by: Maureen, Leyton on 4:05pm Mon 31 Mar 08
I agree. He is really over the top. Rarely comments on the issues, just offensive personal remarks. I agree with Colin who figures that he has a mental health issue in some way. If you do not agree with a comment you can just ignore it or put a constructive argument agains it?
I agree. He is really over the top. Rarely comments on the issues, just offensive personal remarks. I agree with Colin who figures that he has a mental health issue in some way. If you do not agree with a comment you can just ignore it or put a constructive argument agains it?
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