New region-wide education body being set up
PLANS for a Glasgow region-wide education partnership to deliver schools reforms are being drawn up by councils.
The eight Glasgow City Region councils are devising a new structure that will meet Education Secretary, John Swinney’s requirement for Regional Education Collaboratives.
The councils are working on a plan to upscale the current West Partnership of East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow, Inverclyde, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, South Lanarkshire and West Dunbartonshire into a Regional Collaborative. The city region is home to more than one third of Scotland’s school pupils.
The plan however is intended to maintain local accountability and local authority control over education and implementation of the reforms.
While Mr Swinney wants a Regional Director to be appointed by the Scottish Government and to report to the Chief Executive of Education Scotland the councils will appoint their own Regional Lead Officer chosen by the chief executives.
It is understood the plan has the backing of both SNP and Labour council leaders on the City Region Cabinet who will recommend it to their respective councils.
Council leaders discussed the proposal ahead of a City Region Cabinet in Glasgow on Tuesday and agreed to seek the approval of their individual councils and to open discussions with the Scottish Government to set up the Collaborative.
Councillor John Ross, the Glasgow City Deal Cabinet Lead for Skills and Employment and Leader of South Lanarkshire Council, said: “The Glasgow City Region is Scotland’s economic powerhouse.
“The partners involved are already working together to grow the economy, and we have an opportunity to consider how we expand that co-operation to also improve education outcomes.
“That way we can work to ensure that our young people get every opportunity to take advantage of that economic growth.
“The City Region will work closely with the Scottish Government to maximise those opportunities for our young people.”