A survey of 95 directors of children's services and lead members of children's services found the vast majority want autonomy to make decisions over opening new state schools, closing and merging academies and free schools, and increasing the number of places at existing schools regardless of their status.
Currently, local authorities have to get plans to expand state school provision signed-off by the Education Secretary, and have no say in the management of academies or free schools.
The survey, carried out by the Local Government Information Unit (LGiU) and National Union of Teachers (NUT), found 91 per cent want powers to open new community schools, 87 per cent want to be able to close academies and free schools, and four out of five want to be able to propose the merger of an academy or free school or increase their size without having to get agreement from the Education Secretary.
The Standing Room Only report also examines the effectiveness of the existing school place planning powers in light of concerns being raised about an increasing shortage of school places in some areas and oversupply in others.
Leaders surveyed said the role of local authorities in organising the schools admissions process has become increasingly unclear as a result of the growth in academy and free school numbers.
Gaps in accountability, school place planning, admissions monitoring and support services highlighted the need for a "middle tier" of management to provide strategic oversight of all schools in an area, with leaders saying local authorities were best placed to provide this.
Dr Jonathan Carr-West, LGiU chief executive said: “Local authorities rightly see themselves as the champions of all children and parents in their localities irrespective of which schools they attend. This political advocacy role is vital and exists entirely independently of their formal powers to direct schools.”
NUT general secretary Christine Blower added: “To ensure every child gets a decent education school place planning needs to be returned to safe hands. It is local authorities who have the knowledge of what is needed and where in local communities, not the Secretary of State.”
