Extra cash for Halton schools
HALTON’S MP has quizzed the Education Secretary in Westminster over funding arrangements for the borough’s schools.
Derek Twigg spoke to Justine Greening in the House Of Commons during a debate on Monday, July 17.
Ms Greening said the Government is introducing a national funding formula in 201819, which will be supported by ‘significant’ extra investment into the core schools budget over the next two years.
The Education Secretary said there will be an extra £1.3bn for schools and high needs across 2018-19 and 2019-20.
She said: “As a result of this investment, core funding for schools and high needs will rise from almost £41bn in 2017-18 to £42.4bn in 2018-19.
“In 2019-20 it will rise again to £43.5bn. This represents £1.3bn in additional investment, £416m more than was set aside at the last spending review for the core school budget in 2018-19, and £884m more in 201920.
“It will mean that the total schools budget will increase by £2.6bn between this year and 2019-20, and per pupil funding will now be maintained in real terms for the remaining two years of the spending review period to 2019-20.”
She added: “The introduction of the national funding formula, backed by the additional investment in schools will be the biggest improvement to the school funding system in well over a decade.”
Ms Greening said the new funding formula will offer up to 3% gain a year per pupil for underfunded schools over the next two years and a 0.5% a year per-pupil cash increase.
The Education Secretary said the formula will provide ‘at least’ £4,800 per pupil for every secondary school and added local authorities will set a formula to distribute the funding and determine individual budgets.
Gains for local authorities based on the final formula will be confirmed in September.
After Ms Greening’s address to the Commons, Mr Twigg said ‘many’ primary schools in his constiuency are planning to cut staff.
He added that under the new schools funding formula, ‘all but one of our’ secondary schools will have ‘big cuts’ in their budgets.
Mr Twigg said: “If this new formula and the new settlement are so good, will that no longer have to happen?”
The Education Secretary responded that the amount of money which Halton Borough Council will receive over the next two years ‘will not see any cuts’.
Ms Greening added: “In fact, as I have said, a 0.5% increase per pupil will be allocated to that community.
“I reiterate that this is indeed a better settlement for those schools than would have been the case had his party won the election.”