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STEP UP
Towards a ‘mutual’ traded service
With years’ of successful experience trading services to
local schools, Croydon’s school support services are
developing plans to create a public sector ‘mutual
company’.
The mutual would sell support to schools in areas such
as raising standards, educational psychology, education
welfare services, HR, IT, literacy and employment training,
financial support and governor services.
The newly formed mutual company would give its
employees a great degree of control over day-to-day
decisions and allow them to continue working closely with
schools across the borough to deliver continued
improvements to educational standards.
The further option to work outside the borough
boundaries would give the company the potential to grow.
There are current projected savings to local taxpayers
of £1m per year.
Public sector spin outs started in the health care and
leisure sectors and there have been several successful school
support service mutuals created in the last year.
These include the tri-borough mutual in London as well
as projects in Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Harrow and
Newham.
Unlike other local authorities, such as Surrey, Devon
and Lincolnshire, Croydon has no plans to look for a private
sector partner.
The current proposal is for the company to be jointly
owned by the council, Croydon’s Head Teacher’s
Association, and its staff. It would operate independently
from the local authority but would deliver some of the
council’s statutory services while selling discretionary support
to schools and colleges.
Staff in scope have been invited to ongoing meetings,
and drop-in sessions took place in November. There is a
frequently asked questions document available from heads
of service.
For more information, call Sarah Risby, strategic
programme lead for educational services transformation, on
extension 63270.
‘The newly formed
mutual company would
give its employees a
great degree of
control.’