Letter: Benefits of single-tier local authorities

Sir: Sir Peter Newsam appears to be trying to alarm us into keeping unnecessarily large and unwieldy local education authorities (Letters, 26 April). There is nothing inherently more efficient about larger authorities. Indeed, experience shows that the larger the organisation the more scope there is for inefficiency.

Research in Hampshire shows that unitary authorities would be at least as efficient as the county council, more responsive, and more accountable. Sir Peter also suggests that county education authorities have a better chance of survival but schools are more likely to opt out of larger authorities than smaller ones.

Most local education authorities serve populations below 300,000. Is Sir Peter saying that they are all inefficient or are in imminent danger of central government takeover?

Yours faithfully,

PETER RODGERS

Leader, East Hampshire

District Council

Petersfield, Hampshire