Tweets from observers at today’s Birmingham cabinet meeting suggest that Birmingham City Council intends to protect public assets from being transferred to private ownership as part of the academy conversion process, and that it intends to protect Birmingham schools from the profit-motive.
Anyone who doubts Brigid Jones' mettle should think again:Today was evidence that Bham intends to protect its' schools from profit motive
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Politics in Brum (@politicsinbrum) July 30, 2012
Birmingham cabinet was told that council land leased to academies won’t revert to council ownership if academies fold. There was reportedly a lot of concern that this amounts to an invitation to asset-strip, that Academies could be robbing public assets for future development;
Council land leased to academies won't revert to council ownership if academies fold, Brum cabinet told. Asset strip invitation claim #bcc
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J Chamberlain (@ChamberlainFile) July 30, 2012Albert Bore has flagged up significant differences between leasehold & freehold land transfer during academy conversion & asks for report
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Politics in Brum (@politicsinbrum) July 30, 2012Lots of concern in Birmingham about way Academies could be robbing public assets for future develpment
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Cllr. Kevin Maton (@Cllr_KevinMaton) July 30, 2012Land transfer to Academy Sponsors being questioned by Cabinet. Further report being requested. Is it tantamount to asset stripping?
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Cllr Anita Ward (@HodgeHillLabour) July 30, 2012
The case of academy conversion for George Dixon School was discussed;
Transfer of George Dixon school would have simultaneously handed the freehold of the land to the academy sponsors: What a hornet's nest !
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Politics in Brum (@politicsinbrum) July 30, 2012
A blogpost from The Chamberlain Files today reports that this resulted in the cabinet deferring a decision on turning George Dixon School into an academy because of concerns about the freehold being handed over to private sponsors;
The Birmingham cabinet today deferred a decision on turning George Dixon Foundation School into an academy after being told that the freehold of the site would move from council ownership to private hands. There are also concerns about 125-year land lease deals for other proposed academies.
Read more here .
The cost implications of deficits for converting schools was also discussed and observers tweeted that the Birmingham cabinet will no longer be writing off debts for schools converting to academy status;
Academy issues : Brigid Jones (need microphones) discussing implications of deficits of schools converting to academies.
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Politics in Brum (@politicsinbrum) July 30, 2012Brum cabinet won't write off debts for schools going to academy status. Total £1.25m so far.
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Neil Elkes (@neilelkes) July 30, 2012
Albert Bore will reportedly be taking a retrospective look at planning in the light of concerns about asset-stripping;
Paul Tilsley was adamant that Bham shouldn't be asset stripped during academy conversions. Now Albert take a retrospective look @ Planning
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Politics in Brum (@politicsinbrum) July 30, 2012
Ask Parents First 
Reblogged this on Gogwit's Blog and commented:
I am used to being a lone voice fighting against the odds and I’ll admit I wondered whether a change of leadership would change anything. Well, the change in position on this subject pre and post May has already exceeded my expectations. It looks as if the neglect and dereliction of office by the previous administration will go to scrutiny. Perhaps now the questions some have been asking for the past two years will receive answers. Perhaps some of the public assets so egregiously ceded from Birmingham council tax payers might be, if not recovered, at least challenged by our elected members.