A number of popular local schools, including Furze Platt and Oldfield are having their funding cut by the council.
The council agreed with the schools that they would receive additional funding over a number of years to pay for their expansion in pupil numbers. Midway through that expansion the council has cut the money they promised and, worse, they are only now proposing the changes, in July, for this September after the schools have already done their planning, budgeting and recruitment plans for the next academic year!
Local Lib Dem and former headteacher at Furze Platt, Tony Hill says, “These schools have evidence that they were promised this money by the council when they were expanding to help deal with the increased costs. Now the council are saying that they cannot have the money.”
Local Lib Dem Councillor Simon Werner said, “The council says the only way to provide more money is to take it from other schools. Not true – the council can honour its promises and find the money from elsewhere – from the money given to the council by developers to pay for expanding schools!”
As the headteacher of Oldfield School said, “The council should stand up and honour that agreement. It questions the integrity of the local authority.”
