THE problems facing the education authority in Swindon this year have been well documented, and as yet no easy if any solution has been found.

Now talks have taken place with a view to bringing in an external body to give the local education authority its much needed shake up.

This could see Swindon's education service privatised, which may sound radical, but if this is what it takes to get our schools back on track, then so be it.

What is also emerging, at last, is that Swindon Council is finally working together on addressing the town's education crisis. Councillors are talking to each other and council leader Mike Bawden said "a very good working relationship" has been built up between people working in education in Swindon.

But these people still need help and an external organisation is only part of that and must not hide the fact that central government funding is vital to improve the situation.

Perhaps the first rung of the ladder to improvement has been reached, but there is still a long way to go.