Leeds City Council to take back running of education

Education Leeds has been running education in the city since 2001, but councillors at a meeting of the council's executive board decided to terminate its contract and create an integrated in-house children's social services and education department.

The move comes amid a period of turmoil for the council's children's services team, which received an inadequate rating from Ofsted last year for its safeguarding services.

Councillor Steward Golton, executive board member with responsibility for children's services, said having an integrated children's services department would help efforts to improve safeguarding.

"I am convinced that by bringing our children's services and education teams even closer together, we will be able to provide the best possible service and support to children, young people and their families across Leeds," he said.

A consultation will be launched on the reorganisation. It is hoped the transfer of Education Leeds staff and responsibilities to the council will be completed by April 2011.

Councillor Lisa Mulherin, children's services spokeswoman for the Labour opposition on the council, welcomed the decision.

 "In an era where children's services need to be more integrated, it has made no sense to outsource one part of it," she said.

"There are also cost implications. We carry out our own opposition budget and our figures show that it makes economic sense to bring children's services and education together. We found a lot of unnecessary duplication in backroom areas such as human resources and administration."