BEING a school governor for more than 40 years is something the new county council deputy leader is hoping to use in her cabinet role.

The cabinet position for education at Oxfordshire County Council has been tweaked to include children and youth services.

Liz Brighouse, who was first elected to the council in 1981, told the Oxford Mail what her priorities to tackle will be, but admitted funding would play a huge role.

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She said: “The biggest issue we face is with how education is funded – it’s very difficult to sort some of these issues.

“Local authorities are not getting the funding needed through central government and that’s an issue across the country, not just in Oxfordshire.

“I’ve been on the council a long time and I know how the system works, and at the moment, I’m finding out what the key issues are.”

Earlier this month, this newspaper found there was nearly 2,000 primary school places vacant across Oxfordshire due to a falling birth rate.

Meanwhile, provision for SEND pupils in the county has also been a long-running problem.

Mrs Brighouse suggested there could be some sort of resolution by combining the two concerns.

“There’s a problem in terms of the birth rate and the number of children being born,” she said.

“Funding comes through the number of children in schools, so we might have to look at using our buildings where SEND provision could be provided within schools.

“If you can have a base where a child can have special therapy, then that can only be good.

“Special educational needs will be one of the most important things to look at, and Early Years too, and children in care, and how we’re able to support these children.”

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Meanwhile, academisation of schools – particularly secondaries – has lead to questions about the role local authorities play in education.

Mrs Brighouse, who has been a governor at Wood Farm Primary School for over 40 years among other schools, including Slade Nursery School, said the county council still has a part to play in educating pupils.

“Academisation has led to the fragmentation of services, and I’m hoping we’ll be able to work better with schools,” she said.

“We’ve got to build relationships with the schools and the trusts, and get the very best for the children of Oxfordshire.

“One of the biggest pluses of Covid is the fact trusts have turned to the council for advice, which means there has been a building of that trust.”