Government Must Fill Schools Funding Gap Immediately say Lib Dems as £500,000 Shortfall is Revealed

The crisis in education funding which left schools in Bedford Borough facing a £500,000 budget shortfall must be resolved immediately, the Liberal Democrats have demanded. A government error in forecasting the number of students wanting to stay in education after the age of 16 caused schools and colleges nationwide to be short of funding for sixth form students from September this year. Liberal Democrats have discovered that the blunder saw schools in Bedford Borough entering this financial year at the beginning of April facing a combined shortfall of around £500,000 in their budget allocations.

Following extensive lobbying of the government by councils, schools and unions, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in his budget this week that the Government would plug the funding gap caused by its own error. The blunder resulted in local schools and colleges being told of the inadequate funding in a letter from the Learning and Skills Council on 31 March, on the eve of the new financial year. Bedford Borough Liberal Democrats have demanded that the government must immediately give each of our local schools and colleges the exact figures to end the uncertainty hanging over them and over students hoping to enter sixth form education in September.

Commenting on the issue, Bedford Borough Liberal Democrats Education Spokesperson Cllr Michael Headley said: "It is unacceptable that schools and colleges have entered this financial year without adequate funding for students entering sixth forms in September. With local schools and colleges facing a funding black hole of around £500,000, staff and students have been put through a worrying period of uncertainty due to a Government error.'

"It is of course good news that the Chancellor has finally bowed to pressure from schools and from councils including Bedford Borough. The government must now confirm the exact budget for each school as a mater of urgency. It is hugely disappointing that they have had to begin this financial year dealing with a significant budget shortfall, and the sooner this fiasco is brought to an end the sooner schools can begin to plan for the next academic year with some certainty. It is absolutely essential that no student is denied a sixth form place due to Government incompetence."