MP slams blunder that will cost schools £1.8m
ROCHDALE MP Tony Lloyd has lambasted what he described as “the Conservatives’ staggering mathematical incompetence” which will see schools in Rochdale’s borough lose £1,878,129 next year.
Mr Lloyd said: “The relationship between families and schools towards the Government is at rock bottom – education simply isn’t a priority for the Conservatives.
“Labour in government will put education at the heart of national life again and to rebuild the trust between schools, families and government so that we can drive high and rising standards in our classrooms, supporting children to achieve and
thrive. We will start by recruiting 6,500 more teachers and put mental health counsellors in every secondary school, paid for by ending private schools’ tax breaks.”
The Department for
Education last month admitted to miscalculating the amounts of funding due to be granted to state schools in England next year, amounting to a £370m error in the information they gave schools in July.
Analysis of updated funding figures released by Labour claims that schools in Rochdale’s borough will be £1,878,129 worse off next year due to the Conservatives’ school budget maths bungle.
Labour said the latest gaffe at the Department for Education will cause yet more pain for schools already struggling to balance budgets after years of uncertainty over long-term funding and threatened to further weaken the relationship between local schools and families. Labour pointed to the decisions taken by the Conservatives to open pubs before schools during Covid, to prolong strike action by refusing to negotiate with trade unions and to cut funding for school rebuilding, leading to the dangerous RAAC concrete crisis which has affected hundreds of schools, causing many to shut their doors.
Meanwhile, Mr Lloyd has shared his verdict on the King’s Speech saying: “The King’s Speech shows the Tories have turned their back on the people of Rochdale.
“Nothing to bring down bills, nothing to deliver better jobs and reneged on net zero commitments.”