"I am not about the politics" - why one of Leeds' longest serving councillors is swapping the town hall for the school hall

A councillor who has served east Leeds for more than 25 years has taken up the chair role at an academy trust of schools.
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Peter Gruen, who represents the Crossgates and Whinmoor ward in east Leeds took over from the outgoing chairman of the GORSE Academies Trust, Terry Elliott in July.

He said he has started to look at "life beyond the civic hall" but will continue to carry out both roles until council elections in May 2021. Coun Gruen had intended to step down at local elections, due to have been held in May of this year but they were cancelled due to coronavirus, and he told the Yorkshire Evening Post he didn't want to leave his constituency members and fellow councillors a man down.

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Coun Gruen has been on the board at GORSE as vice-chair for two years but said the whole COVID situation had made him realise time is precious - and he wanted to put his to better use.

Coun Peter Gruen, the new chair of the Gorse Academies Trust.Coun Peter Gruen, the new chair of the Gorse Academies Trust.
Coun Peter Gruen, the new chair of the Gorse Academies Trust.

He said: "It obvious, but our time here is finite and I have become much more intolerant of going to meetings which are a waste of time and where I have no added value to contribute. I am determined in meetings I organise, or am part of, that these will be meaningful rather than transitional. I have been a councillor for 25 years so I think I have put a lot in and I think I can add more value and be more influential in that."

Coun Gruen has been on school governor panels since the 1980s, served as a lead member for education and chaired the Leeds Admissions Forum for 10 years but now wants to work with education and the creating of opportunities for disadvantaged youngsters.

He said: "I passionately believe that if you get young people, no matter what their circumstances, on the right path where they are engaged and interested and valued then they can make a very different life for themselves and I want to be a part of that."

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GORSE prides itself on creating better opportunities for under-performing schools and the more disadvantaged communities, and Coun Gruen adds, that the fall out from coronavirus and the lockdown has just added to the pressure on those groups and the first focus will be on starting to repair that damage.

The Richmond Hill Academy, where the Rainbow base operates.The Richmond Hill Academy, where the Rainbow base operates.
The Richmond Hill Academy, where the Rainbow base operates.

Coun Gruen said: "We know for a fact that the gap has grown in the last six months and we have an enormous job to do to catch up. Our business is in turning around failing schools or schools that have not done so well so we know how to do that. We need to get kids back into school, for some of them that means getting back into the discipline, the routine. There is a catch up to do but that is part of what we do and our normal business and I am confident we can do that.

"At Richmond Hill, there is a facility called The Rainbow base for children with special educational needs and disability (SEND) in a primary setting. One of the things I am keen on is opening up a secondary school with a very strong element of provision for SEND and particularly autistic children.

"It is well known that as a specialism, autism is totally under-staffed and children have to be there for a long time before being diagnosed and put in the right setting. There is an enormous need for that in the city."

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On the appointment, Sir John Townsley, CEO of The Gorse Academies Trust, said: "It is important for Gorse to recognise the significant contribution that our outgoing chair, Terry Elliot CBE, has made to the legacy of the trust. During his tenure, Terry has been a driving force in the strategic growth and continuing success of our academies. The Gorse community are fortunate that Terry is remaining part of our board and that we will continue to benefit from his immeasurable experience within education.

“Having served as vice chair, as well as various roles within education spanning over 30 years, Peter is well placed to be an excellent chair. With a passion and commitment to our underlying values and mission to use education as a way of raising social mobility, Peter has a wealth of strategic and political knowledge to help Gorse continue on its journey of improving the lives of children across Leeds."

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