An all-party group of Shropshire councillors will try to convince ministers on Monday to lift county spending limits and minimise education cuts, writes Clare Dean.
Department of the Environment officials have asked for more information on the Pounds 8 million cut which would cost 100 teachers’ jobs and mean larger classes and budget cuts of up to 20 per cent in primaries.
Six schools in the county - Sir John Talbot in Whitchurch, Harlescott in Shrewsbury, Whitchurch junior, John Randall primary and Ladygrove primary in Telford and Much Wenlock primary - have refused to set a budget while at a seventh - Queenswood in Telford - all the governors have resigned.
Carol Adams, county education officer, said: “Governors, parents and schools are very angry with Government. They are angry about what they think they will come back to in September - unacceptably large classes and unacceptably large groups in secondary schools.”
Councillors from Devon, where the authority is fighting a Pounds 4.4 million cut, met junior education minister Robin Squire this week to press for more cash.
And in Derbyshire the LEA has taken control of the budget at Brookfield community school in Chesterfield and given notice it is to take over New Bolsover primary. The moves follow the refusal of governors to meet spending targets.