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BID FOR SCHOOL CASH
December 21, 2009 12:00 AM
Speaking to the House of Commons last week, Paul Burstow, Lib Dem MP for Sutton and Cheam, raised serious concerns over pressures being placed on Sutton to find up to £18 million needed to ensure that school places could be found for all local children.
Mr Burstow raised the point with the Government that the Sutton and Worcester Park parts of his constituency have experienced large rises in the birth rate of 21% and 24% respectively. This data means that anything between 170 and 200 more school places will be needed by September of 2011, and over 300 more by 2012!
Despite having the largest birth rate increase in London, and the lowest numbers of surplus school places nationally, Sutton has recently been told that it will receive nothing of the £271 million that has been allocated by the Department for Children, Schools and Families as a safety net to help to cope with such increasing pressures.
Speaking out against the governments decision Mr. Burstow expresses his disappointment and concern that Sutton will now be forced to find up to £18 million itself, in order to fund proper school placements.
Speaking of his frustration over the issue Paul said, "I have been trying to get a response to an e-mail that I sent to the Minister for Schools and Learners to arrange a meeting to discuss my local education authority's concerns and its strong case for additional funding, but I have not yet had one.
"I will continue to lobby the Minister to see whether we can find a way through the funding problem."
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