Bradford Council has moved a step closer to resuming control of the district’s education services.

It was agreed at an extraordinary meeting of the council last night, that the Secretary of State for Education should be asked to lift a direction requiring the local authority to out-source its education-related service.

Private company Serco, trading as Education Bradford, took on responsibility for school support services in 2001, after a critical inspection report by the Ofsted watchdog prompted Government intervention.

The Council wants to regain full control of education services when the contract with Serco expires on July 29 next year.

A report by Kath Tunstall, the Council’s strategic director of services to children and young people, recommends control should be handed back to the Council.

The executive resolved on September 1 to ask the Secretary of State for Education to enable the Council to do so, and that resolution was endorsed by councillors yesterday.

The leader of Bradford Council, Coun Ian Greenwood, said it was important the Council had the self-confidence and the belief it could tackle the its own issues and move forward.

“If we’re not elected to look after our children what on Earth are we elected to do?” he asked.

“I look forward to moving forward, to increasing the results of our children and ensuring we have, in Bradford, an educational community that wants to engage with the Local Authority, feels challenged but not threatened and creates the situation where the community as a whole can move forward.”

Conservative group leader Councillor Anne Hawkesworth said there was a, ‘clear, overwhelming feeling the Council should be responsible for providing education services in the district’.

Councillor Jeanette Sunderland, Liberal Democrat group leader, said: “We have moved on since 2001 and at this point it is right to recognise the work done by Education Bradford and say thank you for that.”

l Councillors from all parties last night applauded the way agencies and the public came together to show strength during demonstrations in Bradford.

Council leader Councillor Ian Greenwood said Bradfordians had demonstrated ‘responsibility’when faced with English Defence League supporters and other protesters on Saturday, August 28, and Liberal Democrat leader Councillor Jeanette Sunderland later asked councillors to give around of applause.