SO IT IS DONE

So last night the Cabinet agreed to hand £200k to Mouchel Parkman & Outcomes UK (trading as Children First) to lead Children's Services for the next year without regard to due process. The consortium will be headed up by a former Director of Children's Services for Southampton Council. I need to check out their records in educational achievment....

There were a good number of primary school Heads there with many questions, all of which were batted away with an air of disdain. The Council Leader then tried to move to a vote on this privatisation without allowing questions from other councillors present. However, I protested quickly and was graciously allowed to make my numerous comments about the underhand and undemocratic way this has all been rushed through - all of which were dismissed. Deborah also made some excellent remarks about how other Tory Councils have gone about this sort of contracting, involving proper consultation and involvment. All of course to no avail.

After the meeting I secured the necessary number of signatures from those LibDem and Independent councillors present to force an extraordinary Full Council meeting in the first week of the new year to democratically debate this whole issue.