THE head of Bradford's education service is being called to give a public account of how the school reorganisation has descended into crisis.

Opposition members on the council want Susanne Rooney to give a full pubic account of her handling of the crisis.

But Councillor Rooney has defended her actions and accused the Tories of running to the press before contacting her about their concerns.

The move comes as Government Ofsted inspectors prepare to examine the local authority's performance in changing from a three to a two-tier system of education.

The inspection will be complete by March with a report to be published in mid to late May.

So far, Bradford Council has revealed that there is a £47 million shortfall in the budget for the massive reorganisation, building work to prepare schools is falling behind schedule and around 200 technically redundant teachers in the district have still not found new jobs.

And the council still has not appointed a managing partner to oversee the £171 million building works project.

From September, thousands of the district's schoolchildren, including those in Ilkley, face the prospect of being taught in prefabricated temporary classrooms or in split-site schools.

Tory members on the Labour dominated council are demanding that Councillor Rooney, the executive member with responsibility for education, holds a question and answer session for the benefit of concerned parents and teachers.

"We have taken steps to call an emergency meeting as it is the only way to call Coun Rooney to account. It's' time she stopped shirking her responsibilities as a well-paid council executive member and told parents and teachers just exactly what is going wrong," said Conservative leader Councillor Margaret Eaton (Bingley Rural).

She added: "No matter is more important at this time. It is only right that all the issues are fully debated and that people are allowed to put their own questions to Councillor Rooney."

But Coun Rooney said that the Conservative group had not contacted her about their concerns or to ask any questions whatsoever.

Coun Rooney said: "I have had no correspondence from the Conservative group asking me to tell them about anything. I think before we ask for a public execution or whatever it is they want, they ought to have the decency to ask me first."

Coun Rooney said she had met with parents, governors, teachers and union officials to explain her actions during the shake-up and would continue to do so until it was completed.

"I am more than happy to explain what those issues are, but at the end of the day it is all about the betterment of the children and raising their standards of achievement," said Coun Rooney.

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