Only the best will be good enough when it comes to finding a private company to run education in Bradford, a leading councillor has pledged.

Liberal Democrat leader Councillor Jeanette Sunderland fears that not all the companies on the Government's small approved list of providers will be up to scratch.

She is the only councillor sitting on the steering group overseeing the process of finding a private partner to manage and to run the vast majority of education services following Ofsted's damning report.

Her concern is that it is an experiment that could fail unless the partner that wins the contract, of at least five years, has the right staff.

"I think we have got to have a real hard look at the people when we compile our shortlist," she said. "I think that we need to interview more than two providers.

"Getting the right partner in this market is a worry. We must ensure that the process is rigorous enough to make sure that whoever is selected as a partner has got access to the right staff to really make a difference."

Coun Sunderland is determined that if the right company is not interviewed then not appointing anyone should be an option. She refused to speculate on what would happen next. But if the council was to reject all approved partners it would put it on collision course with the Department for Education.

Now that the consultants Pricewaterhouse Coopers have finished their work the process should move ahead quickly. Their final report has agreed with the conclusions reached by Ofsted and recommended a partnership arrangement rather than a straightforward contracting out.

The contract should be awarded in April with the partner taking over on July. It will include financial incentives to encourage the partner to achieve over the required standards as well as a get-out clause for the council if it fails to deliver.

The company will take decisions on the day to day running of education while the Council retains its legal role of taking overall policy and budget and decisions in education.

But some of its decision-making powers are likely to be directed to an education policy partnership or school improvement board. Its membership has yet to be fixed but will include key "stakeholders" such as head teachers, governors, councillors, churches, the council's assistant chief executive for education and a representative of the private partner.

The board will also advise the private partner on some issues. The work of the Council, board and company will be examined by a beefed up education scrutiny committee containing stakeholders and councillors.

In the meantime an interim schools improvement board or policy partnership will evolve from the current steering committee and monitor the work of a strengthened local education authority.

Council chief executive, Ian Stewart is to begin an analysis on how the new arrangements will affect the council as a whole. The matter will go to the council's executive committee on Tuesday.

e-mail: william.stewart

@bradford.newsquest.co.uk