Liberal Democrats Slam Conservative U-Turn on Schools Funding Formula
December 16, 2007 8:23 PM
Liberal Democrats on Warwickshire County Council have reacted with disbelief to the news that the Conservative administration has abandoned its plans to change the funding formula for Warwickshire schools.
The ruling Conservative group was due to take a decision on the new funding formula at their next Cabinet meeting on the 20th December, in time for schools to be advised in January of their budget for the next three years. Now the paper detailing the recommended changes has been suddenly withdrawn, only a day after it had been published.
Councillor John Whitehouse (Kenilworth Abbey), Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Children Young People and Families, said:
"This U-turn leaves everyone with the worst of all possible worlds. The proposed changes had upset a number of schools which were going to lose out, so now presumably the schools which were due to gain something will be equally angry.
What a colossal waste of time, effort and money this whole fruitless exercise has been. It has taken eighteen months of work, lots of meetings, and consultation with all Warwickshire's schools, and all for nothing."
Liberal Democrat group leader Councillor Jerry Roodhouse (Rugby Eastlands & Hillmorton) said:
"This demonstrates a clear failure by this Conservative administration to show decisive leadership on an important issue. Having failed to get the Schools Forum to back their recommendations, and with some of their backbenchers in open revolt, they have fallen back on a 'do nothing' policy yet again.
Everyone acknowledges that the existing schools funding formula is neither logical nor fair. Particularly among primary schools there are massive differences in funding per pupil which cannot be justified in the long term.
The situation demands clear strategic thinking by the Conservatives about the future of schooling in Warwickshire, then perhaps officers can try again to come up with a schools funding formula that is fit for purpose."
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