PRESS RELEASE
30 October 2003
OTTAWAY RECEIVES UNDERTAKING FROM SECRETARY OF STATE ON EDUCATION FUNDING
Richard Ottaway, Conservative MP for Croydon South, has raised the question of education funding in Croydon for the year 2004/5 (see House of Commons Hansard below).
Richard Ottaway says:-
"I was delighted to receive an undertaking from the Secretary of State that he would sit down and talk to Croydon about next year's funding. It is essential we receive enough to give our children they deserve."
Ends.
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Extract from House of Commons Hansard - 29 October 2003
Column 319
Richard Ottaway (Croydon, South): Given the shambles in education
funding in Croydon this year, the Secretary of State will be interested
to know that I managed to obtain a copy of an internal document from Labour-controlled
Croydon council. It estimates that underfunding this year is £7.5
million and that an extra £8.5 million is needed next year after
wiping out the reserves this year to pay the deficit. Will he confirm
that his encouraging but complex statement means that Croydon will have
the extra £16 million that it needs to make up the shortfall this
year?
Mr. Clarke: I want to make two comments in response
to that. First, the statement is complex and I hope that all political
and other colleagues in Croydon will examine the precise implications
for Croydon before reaching a judgment about the way in which to proceed.
Of course, I acknowledge that there were difficult problems in Croydon
this year; the hon. Gentleman raised them specifically. I hope that the
announcement will enable them to be tackled effectively.
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