Denbighshire CC's leader and cabinet have been ousted in a vote of no confidence, after a damning Estyn report. It concluded that education services overall in Denbighshire had ‘shortcomings in important areas', political leadership of education was ‘ineffective', accountability for poor performance was ‘unclear', and the council had a poor track record in ‘managing change and making improvements'. Cambridge Education, which conducted the Modernising Education Programme on behalf of Denbighshire earlier this year also slammed the council's education department, describing how greater emphasis was needed on education, and improving education standards should be seen as ‘a corporate priority'. This week 23 members voted in favour of a motion of no confidence in Cllr Rhiannon Hughes and her cabinet. Education minister, Jane Hutt, has already vowed to intervene at the authority, if an acceptable action plan is not put in place. The Welsh Local Government Association told The MJ the council had until 5 November to produce an action plan. Chief executive, Steve Thomas, said: ‘The association is committed to using all the resources at its disposal to assist in the authority's improvement journey.'
