Bruce Ross-Smith (Tuesday’s Oxford Mail ViewPoints) is concerned at the proposal that the city council should work in partnership with the county council in improving attainment levels in the city’s primary schools.

There are undoubtedly big policy differences between the members of the two authorities on education, but there is a wide area of common ground that the low levels of achievement in many of our primary schools must be tackled as a matter of urgency.

The city council’s funding will be matched by additional county funding and managed in a jointly agreed programme that will direct these funds into the schools in close co-operation with headteachers and governing bodies.

The city council is being advised by a former director of children’s services from a unitary council.

She has visited many of the schools that will be in line to benefit from this support, as well as meeting a wide range of education experts from whom ideas are being drawn.

Proposals are being prepared for the city’s schools based on successful programmes in, for example, Birmingham and London.

Mr Ross-Smith can be assured that the democratic mandate given to the Labour administration at the city council will be fully respected, and that the partnership with the county council will not involve any truck with “pro-Gove hit squads”.

Bob Price Leader, Oxford City Council Oxford Town Hall St Aldate’s