Friday 12 July 2013

Fairer Funding for Northumberland's Schools

Yesterday we launched our 'Fairer Funding for Northumberland School's' campaign with a visit from Schools Minister David Laws.
Inequalities in the system currently mean that for decades Northumberland—and some other local authorities—have lost out. Despite the Pupil Premium, which has increased funding to Northumberland’s schools, the difference as to what local authorities get to spend, can be well beyond a thousand pounds per pupil. Northumberland is pretty much at the bottom of the list.

Our campaign believes that funding distribution can only be fair at school level if all pupils in the country have access to a basic minimum entitlement of funding to deliver them a high quality education. We believe all children in Northumberland deserve a fairer funding system which no longer penalises our schools. We will be working to ensure the new formula means children in Northumberland have the best opportunity to fulfill their educational potential.

You can read a full report on our new campaign in today's Journal HERE

The Coalition Government has now announced it is to change the current system and launch an official consultation on the future of the national funding formula. Our campaign is to make sure Northumberland's voice is heard loud and clear.
I am pleased to chair the campaign, but to ensure our communities have their voices heard a number of local champions have been signed up to lead the fight in their area:

County Co-ordinator: Cllr Peter Jackson Leader of Northumberland Conservatives
North Northumberland Chairman - Anne Marie Trevelyan
Anne-Marie is a well known campaigner in North Northumberland. Anne-Marie is also a publicly elected governor of Northumbria Healthcare Trust and a governor at Berwick Academy.
South East Northumberland Chairman - Cllr Wayne Daley
Wayne is a Northumberland County Councillor representing Cramlington. Wayne is also Deputy Chair of Governors at St Benet Biscop High School and has two school aged children.
West Northumberland Chairman - Cllr Cath Homer
Cllr Cath Homer is a newly-elected County Councillor representing Hexham. Cath has three school children and is leading the campaign for capital improvements to QEHS

Peter, Anne-Marie, Wayne and Cath joined me yesterday to help start making our case to the Minister.