THE BUCK STOPS HERE, or should it be THERE?

I was wondering why it was left to Tameside’s Chief Executive to defend the council’s stance after being pilloried by Ofsted for the terrible position in which they find themselves in the table of successful schools? - (145^th out of 150 local authorities!)

We all know that many of Tameside’s councillors are reluctant to answer difficult questions; we’re still waiting to hear about the ‘TESCO’ question, but if it is now the practice to run and hide behind the Chief Executive at the first sign of press criticism, one must ask why these expenses claiming career councillors, who are posing as heads of scrutiny panels and who have been appointed to monitor the academic achievement of our schools, are actually there.

This follows the publication of Ofsteds annual report, where, for the first time they have published league tables. Tameside council was reported as being 145 on the list of best and worst local authorities. In other words, 5 places from the bottom!

Steven Pleasant was wheeled out to face the press, and answer for the council's failure to Tameside parents. Basically he refuted the report, implying Sir Michael Wilshaw, the Ofsted chief was wrong, while he CEO of Tameside council was right, maintaining the report was 'subjective' and purely 'an opinion!' He concluded, Tameside's results were actually getting better year on year because of the investment made by the council in the now scapped 'Building Schools for the Future' scheme; an expensive PFI scheme that was introduced by the previous Government.

But, is it really Steven Pleasant’s place to defend council policy? Surely, that is the place of our democratically elected politicians.