Camden New Journal - News: Cash Crisis

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Camden New Journal - by RICHARD OSLEY
Published: 13 December 2007

CASH CRISIS IN SCHOOLS

Teachers' fears as even cost of photocopying is questioned

THREE of Camden’s most popular secondary schools were last night (Wednesday) said to be in “deep financial trouble” after running out of cash to pay for classroom essentials.
The pinch has been felt so badly at William Ellis School in Highgate Road that all members of staff were called to an emergency meeting last week and warned that savings needed to be made.
Insiders suggested that teachers at the all-boys school had been aware of financial difficulties for a couple of months but that day-to-day outgoings such as photocopying costs were now being scrutinised. One teacher described it as “rationing”.
Meanwhile, temporary staff at the school – where former Labour party spin-doctor Alastair Campbell was until recently a governor – are privately worried that cutbacks could lead to posts being suddenly cut after Christmas.
One staff member said: “It is a worrying time for everybody – and to add insult to injury there is likely to be an Ofsted inspection just round the corner.”
The root cause of the budget crisis is unclear
with some blaming the school for not balancing the books, others leaving responsibility at the council’s door for not topping up government grants and some looking higher up the chain at ministers for quibbling over the size of settlements for schools.
“There have been changes to the way schools have been asked to do accounting,” said one source. “And it has basically amounted to the government keeping back a share of the funding. Having said that, in the past Camden has always made up the shortfall but the current council have indicated it is not willing to do that any more. It is very different from what Camden schools expect and it has caused deep financial trouble.”
Vernon King, Chairman of Governors, said: “Like many schools we are carrying forward a deficit and have produced a repayment plan to take the school back into credit in line with our statutory requirements.”
The size of the damage has not been revealed.
The New Journal has learned that two other secondary schools are facing similar turbulence by recording deficits, while others have made attempts to stave off potential losses by making budget savings. One school is understood to have worked a scheme to take on a deputy headteacher on a year long ‘work experience-style’ trial, paid for by the government rather than school funds.
Conservative education chief Councillor Andrew Mennear said the council was working with schools to help the but declined to comment further.

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