Local authorities will only be able to put extra money into education this April by cutting key services and increasing council taxes, it was claimed this week, writes Clare Dean.
It will be impossible for them to find the additional Pounds 763 million ministers said they made available for education without resorting to a combination of cuts and rises.
Local Schools Information - the local-authority funded body - predicted another very difficult year for schools and warned of even more problems ahead unless Government funds councils at a much higher level.
It claimed the decision to phase the 3.75 per cent pay award for teachers stored up further problems for the following year.
And in a booklet published today LSI urged parents, teachers and governors to work together if they believed their schools were being adversely affected.
“Governments do listen, especially when large numbers of ordinary, backbench MPs make it clear that their constituents are up in arms,” it said.
There have already been signs of continuing unrest from parents, governors and teachers over school budgets and rising class sizes with demonstrations outside council buildings while budgets have been discussed.
