PRESS RELEASE

20 January 2004

OTTAWAY ATTACKS GOVERNMENT OVER SCHOOL FUNDING SETTLEMENT

Richard Ottaway, Conservative MP for Croydon South, has attacked the inadequate schools settlement received by Croydon Council from central government. For the second year running the funding received from the Government has been less than expected. Even official Council papers recognise that schools are to have a £6 million budget shortfall from what they need. In most schools these savings will have to be achieved by reducing staff costs.

Richard Ottaway has taken the issue up with the Government as a matter of urgency.

Richard Ottaway says:-

"Once again, due to this short-sighted Government, Croydon's schools have got to make impossible decisions about how to balance their budgets for the next academic year."

"The Government has not addressed the alteration to the area cost adjustment despite repeated calls for it to do so. Neither have there been any major changes in the Education Formula Spending Share. As a result the Borough's schools are £6 million short and are being advised to make savings by reducing staff costs."

"What sort of message does this send to our children about the importance of their education?"

ends.

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