Party Conferences: Activists rebuffed on trust proposal
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Your support makes all the difference.PADDY ASHDOWN vowed to press ahead with radical proposals to shift power over schools to parents from local councillors in spite of overwhelming party opposition.
Mr Ashdown made clear during his speech that the Neighbourhood School Trusts, which would consist of community-based groups such as parish councils, were at the heart of his vision of the "powerful citizen". The party had "nothing to say as liberals" if it did not trust the people to do things for themselves and became a "mere centre for power".
As part of his campaign to change the education structure, Liverpool City Council, which is Liberal Democrat-led, will set up the trusts in a pilot scheme to try to alter party members' mind on the issue.
But delegates expressed concern that the plans would diminish the role of local councillors, many of whom are Liberal Democrats.
Terry James, 50, from Leominster, said the proposals were unworkable; not all parents had the experience to know what was best for schools. "The leadership needs to reconsider. Not all areas have middle-class parents who want to be involved in education."
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