NEIGHBORHOODS, SCHOOLS TO GET MORE COUNCIL FOCUS.

Byline: - Harrison Sheppard

The Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a plan to focus more attention on school and neighborhood issues through the first major revamping of the council's committee structure since 1989.

The 14-0 vote included the creation of a council Committee on Education and Neighborhoods, which will deal with school issues as well as the neighborhood councils created in the new city charter.

The restructuring was the first major initiative of council President Alex Padilla since he took the leadership post in early July.

Padilla plans to announce at 9:30 a.m. today the names of the council members who will serve on the new committee and 14 other standing committees of the council.

City government technically has no jurisdiction over instructional issues, which are under the authority of the Los Angeles Unified School District, Councilman Nate Holden said.

But, Padilla said, the city can get involved in helping the LAUSD with after-school programs and new school locations.

``I believe we have a responsibility to engage in a supporting role when it comes to schools and education, because the future of our city relies on it,'' Padilla said.

The new structure also eliminated the Intergovernmental Relations Committee, folding its responsibilities into what will now be called the Rules, Elections and Intergovernmental Relations Committee.

Padilla said the new charter gives more intergovernmental responsibility to the mayor, de-emphasizing the council's role in dealing with the state and federal government.

The council also changed the name of the Community and Economic Development Committee to the Economic Development and Employment Committee; changed the Governmental Efficiency Committee to the Audits and Governmental Efficiency Committee; and changed the Housing and Community Redevelopment Committee to simply Housing and Community Development Committee.