Radical proposals to bring in a private company to help run the district's schools have cleared their first hurdle.

But at a stormy pre-election meeting of Bradford Council's executive committee yesterday, opposition councillors slammed the plans, their secrecy and a lack of consultation from the Labour leadership.

And the public-private education partnership, which would be the first of its kind in Britain, has been unanimously condemned at a national teaching union's annual conference.

As the Telegraph & Argus exclusively revealed, the council has been in consultation with the Government over bringing in a private company to take over the management of the district's schools system.

Its work would be overseen by a board made up of teachers, parents, church representatives and business leaders. The council would take a back seat, strategic role with only two leading councillors on the board, which could be set up within a year.

Labour councillors voted that discussions with the Department for Education should continue and that, following consultations, the council should look for interested private partners.

They also passed an amendment that will prevent the decision being scrutinised by other councillors until more detailed proposals have been made.

The shock plans were announced just weeks before education watchdog, Ofsted delivers what is believed to be a damning report on the way that Bradford Council has been running its schools.

Yesterday Council Leader, Councillor Ian Greenwood (Lab) insisted that the two matters were unconnected.

But Councillor Richard Wightman (Con, Rombalds) said: "Everybody here knows there is a connection between this afternoon's proposal and the Ofsted report."

The Liberal Democrats said they opposed the plan root and branch. Councillor David Ward said: "I have spent most of my political career fighting one Tory party and now find myself fighting two."

e-mail: william.stewart@

bradford.newsquest.co.uk

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