Teachers unions in Leicester are to hold a vote of no confidence in the Director of Education, Steven Andrews, and the councillor in charge of education, Brian Roberts.

They are taking the action because they say the council is focussing its attention on proposals for a new city academy, and ignoring the problems in schools elsewhere.

The NUT has been angered at the council's decision to ask parents living near to the proposed academy what they think of the idea.

The motion is being proposed by leaders of the six main teaching unions who say they have lost all faith in Mr Andrews to deliver much-needed improvements to the city's school.

Further threat

The six unions, which represent 99% of teachers in Leicester, say they have repeatedly tried to highlight to Mr Andrews a worrying escalation in performance and behaviour problems in city schools.

But they say the director and Mr Roberts, have consistently failed to respond to their warnings.

Now they say their concerns have been further enflamed by the council's decision to hire private consultants to canvass parents on the proposed City Academy.

They feel this latest move poses a further threat to existing schools and their pupils.

But Mr Andrews is standing by his actions.

He said: "It is absolutely right and proper that the director of education should be exploring all ideas that have within them the potential to raise standards for boys and girls in the city and improve their chances in life.

"The proposed survey of parents is exactly about that and it is intensely disappointing that some people think that should not even take place."