Secret deal for schools

THE private firm running children's services and education in Stoke-on-Trent is in secret talks to extend its contract for an extra year.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council was forced to appoint Serco in May 2007 following a series of damning reports on its education and child protection services.

The firm employs children and young people's services director Ged Rowney and four deputy directors.

The three-year, £5.2 million contract is due to expire in April next year, but the council's executive has agreed to negotiate a 12-month extension.

The issue was discussed behind closed doors at an executive and members' board (EMB) meeting on Wednesday.

Afterwards, deputy elected mayor councillor Mohammed Pervez confirmed that the authority is looking to keep Serco in place for another year.

It is understood that the EMB also had the option of taking children's services back into council control when the contract runs out, or going out to tender.

But Mr Pervez, below, said members chose to delay any changes for a year in the interests of continuity and stability.

He cited improvements in the city's GCSE results, with a 2.1 per cent increase last year in pupils gaining five or more A* to C grades, including English and maths. Other factors include a drop in the number of schools failing Ofsted inspections, with just two city schools currently in special measures, and a turnaround in child protection work.

Mr Pervez said: "The offer to discuss a contract extension ensures that the hard work that has been done for the past two years has the opportunity to continue."

"We feel that Serco has made good progress in helping to improve the standards of education and welfare for the children of Stoke-on-Trent."

But City Independent councillor Terry Follows, who spearheaded the recent political fight to save Trentham High School from closure, condemned the EMB's decision to discuss extending Serco's contract. He said: "I don't think the contract should be extended; it should go out to tender when it expires. The way in which Serco has handled the Building Schools for the Future programme has been a complete mess.

"The EMB talks about the need for continuity and stability, but Serco replaced two of its five officers midway through the contract. How is that providing continuity?

"We're told that Serco has raised our city's educational performance over the past two years, but it was so poor it couldn't have gone anywhere else but upwards.

"If we have made improvements in education then I feel it is due to the hard work of headteachers and staff, not because of Serco."

Stoke-on-Trent South MP Rob Flello said: "I'm not sure what Serco have brought to the city except upset and concern and perhaps a new definition of the word 'consultation'."