This morning I participated in a strategic conference with a number of primary and secondary headteachers from across Warwickshire, together with senior county officers and county councillors. The focus of the conference was on the changing agenda for schools within the national and local agenda for children’s services, and the development of a shared vision for the future.

Many of the messages coming back from the headteachers were common - a frustration with too much bureaucracy and regulation, a desire for partnership with and involvement with the local authority, and a willingness for strong leadership from the county to address national priorities in a local context. My party is in opposition on the county council, but I shall be looking to see how and if the Conservative administration responds to the very clear messages we heard this morning.