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Schools face cash crisis while millions lie idle in the bank
Calls for ‘rainy-day’ financial reserves to bail out struggling teachers
EDUCATION chiefs are under pressure to release millions of pounds held in the council’s reserve to help its struggling schools.
The council has a £6 million cash pot of unspent government schools funding.
A breakdown of figures, obtained by the West End Extra, reveal that St George’s secondary school in Maida Vale has £1.4 million deficit, while Edward Wilson primary school in Paddington has £500,000 sitting in the bank.
The government this week announced plans to claw back five per cent, amounting to £300,000, to help schools in the red.
But the council believe the figures are evidence of “prudence” and that the money should be stored for a rainy day.
Councillor Sarah Richardson, lead member for schools, said: “Westminster Council does not support the government’s proposals to take vital funds away from schools.
“We have serious concerns about the adequacy of central government funding for children’s social care services.”
Labour group leader Paul Dimoldenberg said the money should be redistributed to help failing schools.
He said: “Schools should spend their money on improving education, rather than allowing it to sit in the bank. When I first became a governor of Queen’s Park School back in 1997 it had its worst ever Ofsted inspection and yet the school had more than £250,000 in the bank.
“Over the next two years the new head used that money to bring in extra teachers and turn the school around.
“Now it is one of the best in Westminster.”
St George’s School in Lanark Road was put on special measures in 2000 but has since bounced back scoring top grades this summer.
Martin Tissot, headteacher at the Roman Catholic school, said the deficit followed funding crisis a year before the Ofsted inspection.
He said: “St George’s Roman Catholic School experienced some difficulty with the management of the school budget in 1999 and a £1.4m deficit was incurred.
“St George’s Roman Catholic School and Westminster Council are committed to ensuring that pupils will not suffer from the deficit, which has been frozen to ensure current funding is being spent on resources for children at the school. The finances are now back on track with the school operating within its budget.” |
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