Labour claim 8 years of austerity funding are eating away at schools
Labour say the result is that many schools are struggling to employ enough staff and to provide proper levels of support, including books and equipment. At the same time they have had to pay the apprentices levy and higher levels of pension contributions.
Cabinet Member for Children and Families Cllr Zoe Nolan said, “We have seen nearly a decade of under funding for Milton Keynes Schools. This is the direct result of Government cuts and it means schools are £757.16 worse off per pupil since 2010. It’s a fact of having a Conservative Government that has found the money to fund tax cuts for the rich, but will not fund our schools properly. Milton Keynes is a growing city with a growing school population. Yet the ‘real terms funding’ per pupil has fallen. This is year on year undermining the ability of schools to meet growing costs.
Cllr Nolan added, “I am worried about the cumulative impact of school funding cuts. I believe we have high performing schools compared to other areas. But overtime the ability to fully fund the schools is being undermined by Government funding policy. I want to ensure that all parents know about the funding cuts. We have gone from Education being the top priority under Labour Governments to it being a low priority for Mrs May’s Government. That is why our schools have lost £757.16 per pupil since 2010. This is not right. It has to change.”
