How Would You Think Different ? Council To Plug £30mil Hole

[Alunh]

The first thing that I would do is put down all my kneejerk responses on paper (as have many others).

When I had written down all the emotional stuff (say about laptops and tablets), I would get down to the detail. Some of the stuff that I had written down would probably be nonsense, others might be sound and cost effective.

The main objective of the exercise is to either (a) generate more income or (b) spend less. Every action that I indulged in would have to be refracted through these considerations. Of course, as with everything, any net conclusions would have to be tempered by a number of considerations:

What would be the medium or long term effect?
What would be the social consequences?
What represents the greater good for Wrexham?

I would have a number of starting points to help shape my thinking:

The Education budget is surely not being used in an optimal manner when the Secondary School results are factored in
The running of Wrexham Markets appears to have been dreadful over time and there must be a more cost effective way of approaching this topic
The Council should never undertake something that the Private sector could easily and more cost effectively undertake
There are seemingly too many properties owned by the Council and this needs addressing
The Council appears to employ too many people
Consultants should not be utilised at great cost if there are more cost effective alternatives available at local level

[wxm]

Well, I guess the specific public services such as health, GP’s, policing, fire – can be debated accurately as individual subjects and agencies that provide them.

THE KEY ISSUE TO START WITH: Council’s provide a bag of things, “the rest”. They have education, housing, roads & transport, libraries, a range of adult social provision, planning functions, enforcement, waste management, democracy, streetlights.

Yes, democracy is what we live for. But why are councillors on boards of governors, such as Ysgol Clywedog, and when the school enters “Special Measures” for the second time, why do councillors continue to engage in this role – why is it not given to a more expert group of people?

[wxm]

In short, why is education under the jurisdiction of a council?

[thewayneinspain]

wxm;6383 wrote:

In short, why is education under the jurisdiction of a council?

In short… Democracy.

[wxm]

So, Department for Education, the Assembly, and Council dictate policy and supervise performance? So how can councillors be on the Governors of a school, it goes into Special Measures twice – and they carry on

[Welsh Dresser]

@wxm 6383 wrote:

In short, why is education under the jurisdiction of a council?

Hasn’t education always been part of the council’s responsability?

[wxm]

Possibly / probably. But if education is not working out eg Ysgol Clywdeog in special measures; and the Council or councillors sit in the board of Governors – this isn’t working is it?

In these forums, someone clearly set out how parents are avoiding some schools, and I have spoken to parents who are not satisfied with the general standard of education in Wrexham. They are shocked Ysgol Clywedog is in special measures for a second time, and although they are not specialists, they do expect those paid and elected to do the job to be successful.

[wxm]

Following the lead of Alunh, getting some stuff out on the table, a bit at a time, is a great idea. And then put it all together.

I think democracy would have to be dealt with it last. We all agree it is the most important thing, but if we are going to discuss what is not working, we have to put the principal of democracy to one side for a moment, and talk about how the day to day provisions for society are or are not working

Whether education, growing the economy & creating jobs, health, budgets

[thewayneinspain]

wxm;6388 wrote:

So, Department for Education, the Assembly, and Council dictate policy and supervise performance? So how can councillors be on the Governors of a school, it goes into Special Measures twice – and they carry on

If parents have voted for the councillors, assembly members,etc or even worse not voted at all, they are to blame when their child does not attain the skills necessary for the real world.

If parents aren’t campaigning for a better education for their children they are to blame.

For all the problems at the school, I have never heard of any parents demonstrating for a better schooling system at the school or for any governor or teacher to be removed. You have to ask ‘why is that?’

[Welsh Dresser]

I would say fear stops parents complaining. The fear of your child being singled out and their education suffering.

Also I think a lot of parents don’t realise they can complain so maybe educating the parents is the first step.

I know when my son was in school I was slightly in awe of his teachers so was extra polite when I came in contact with them. It wasn’t until I joined the PTA that I realised they were human with all the faults and frailties the rest of us have!

[Author]

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