Tories attack school privatisation
By Dominic Hayes, PA - 26/10/2001
A Tory-controlled council that led the way in getting private firms involved in state education has attacked the Government's plans to encourage such partnerships, saying they would cause conflict.
Surrey County Council handed failing Kings Manor school in Guildford over to 3Es in a ground-breaking deal, and later awarded Nord Anglia the contract to run another comprehensive in Camberley.
But the council, in its response to this autumn's education White Paper, said the Government's proposals would pit education authorities against companies in an unhelpful way.
Kay Hammond, SCC's executive member for children and young people, said: "The Government needs to think again on this point - it's no good pitting the private sector against the public sector as adversaries.
"We have worked with our private sector partners to make sure that children at the schools get the best education possible by recognising that we both have much to give.
"Involving the private sector can be very beneficial but it will not help anyone if LEAs and the private sector don't work together. We hope the Government will reconsider its views."