Green councillors come out strongly against forced academisation of all schools

 From Brighton and Hove Green Party

Green Councillors have come out strongly over plans announced by Chancellor George Osborne to force all schools to become academies and eliminate the role of local authorities as a provider of education, in the biggest change to education in 50 years. 

Proposals were announced in the Conservative governments budget statement today, and follow a longer-term agenda privatisation of education which began under the Labour government in 2002.  Brighton and Hove currently has two academies but this latest announcement will convert all schools to academy status by 2022, despite widespread opposition from parents and teachers unions. 
Green councillor and Convenor of the Green Group, Phelim Mac Cafferty, said:

The Conservative agenda for the mandatory academisation of schools will be bad news for children and parents in the city, who have consistently spoken out against this privatisation of children's futures.  Greens were proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with parents to oppose the establishment of an Academy in Hove Park school when in administration. Now, that hard work looks set to be undone.

There is growing evidence that academies are simply not delivering improved performance or tackling inequality for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds, with a finding just last month that pupils in one of the largest academy trusts, AET, do particularly badly.  In addition, they have come under significant criticism for the lack of democratic accountability underpinning the system, which has allowed financial mismanagement and poor performance of some academies to go unchecked.  This move is the latest in a long standing agenda initiated by the Labour government in 2002, which has sought to transform the education system into little more than an exam factory, narrowing learning to the sole function of preparing children for work.  

This is entirely the wrong approach to school provision and we fundamentally oppose this announcement. Greens' vision for education is of a system whereby children and adults are given  the knowledge and full range of skills they require to participate fully in society and lead a fulfilled life.  It should promote equality, inclusivity, social and emotional well-being and responsibility, in schools that are democratically accountable to local communities they serve.

No 'bedroom tax' eviction policy comes into effect in Brighton

Green-led councillors in Brighton & Hove yesterday fulfilled the party's pledge to introduce a policy saying that no city council tenant should be evicted from a council-owned home just because they cannot afford to pay their bedroom tax.

Brighton & Hove was the first city in the country to see such a declaration and yesterday afternoon it continued to lead the way on bedroom tax evictions when its plans become council policy.

It is two months since the housing committee chair, councillor Liz Wakefield, made a commitment to introduce the policy, describing the so-called 'spare room subsidy', or bedroom tax, as "immoral and harmful legislation from this morality-free coalition government".

In her final meeting as chair of the committee, before the post moves on, councillor Wakefield saw the commitment fulfilled when fellow councillor Phélim Mac Cafferty proposed the Green's no eviction policy, which was seconded by all Green councillors present and then approved unanimously by the Green, Labour and Conservative councillors serving on the committee.

The policy ensures that the council may continue to use all usual means to pursue non-payment other than bailiffs or evictions.

Councillor Wakefield said: "The Green council is proud to lead the way in fighting the bedroom tax and pleased to make it clear to our council tenants that we will not send the bailiffs round to evict them solely because they are unable to pay the coalition government's unjust, unscrupulous and often unaffordable bedroom tax."

Councillor Mac Cafferty said: "The bedroom tax is one of the cruellest components of a cruel coalition attack on the poorest and most vulnerable people. As Greens, we could not stand by while people might face eviction as a result, so we've taken a national lead with this new council policy. We urge other councils to join us and make this government's plans unworkable."

Caroline Lucas MP added: "I congratulate councillor colleagues on taking such a principled stand against this heartless government policy which is both immoral and unworkable."

Speaking for the Brighton & Hove Green Party, chair Rob Shepherd concluded: "This is a radical policy from a radical party, telling the coalition government it cannot have its own way on bedroom tax and welfare restructuring. And it’s a policy that offers reassurance to many council tenants across the city at a time when they desperately need it. No other party would have brought such a relief to Brighton & Hove residents."

The policy takes immediate effect.