Your report said that Slough in 199899 spent pound;51 million on education against a standard spending assessment of pound;56m.
The correct figure is pound;53.6m, giving a shortfall of pound;2.3m or 4.1 per cent. There was a misunderstanding of coding in the authority’s return to central government which has now been corrected.
In 19992000, Slough will be spending pound;57m against an SSA of pound;59m - a shortfall of pound;2m or 2.4 per cent. The increase in spending over 199899 of pound;3.4m compares with an increase in SSA of pound;3.1m. The SSA increase has been passed on to school budgets.
Slough has considerably narrowed the gap between spending and SSA and pledged to eliminate it over the next three years, subject to national budget constraints.
David Mansell
Chair of education
Slough Borough Council
Slough, Berkshire
