Local schools face cuts of £1.8 million in 2023

Liberal Democrats are calling on the Conservatives to protect education spending, as shocking new figures show that schools in Buckingham constituency face cuts in their spending power of £1.8 m next year.

Liberal Democrats in Buckingham and neighbouring towns and villages have called on Buckingham MP Greg Smith not to make children and young people pay for the Conservatives’ failure on the economy by cutting school and college funding further.

The figures, published on 8 November 2022 by the ‘School Cuts’ campaign run by teaching unions, reveal that schools in Buckingham will have £133 less to spend per pupil next year (2023/24) compared to this year (2022/23).

In total, 52 of Buckingham’s 56 schools will see a reduction in their spending power next year compared to this year.

The figures estimate the true spending power that schools have after increases in teacher salaries, pensions, tax and non-staff costs have all been taken into account. It comes after the Government instructed council-run schools to give teachers a much-deserved pay rise of between 5% and 8.9% this year but gave schools no extra money to pay for it, meaning that they had to make cuts elsewhere.

Overall, nine in ten schools across England will have less spending power next year compared to this year. More than two in three schools in England will have a lower spending power next year than in 2015.

Buckingham Liberal Democrat chair Anja Schaefer, said:

“Under this Government, schools must choose between teaching children or heating classrooms. Headteachers are warning that they will have to cut teaching assistants, mental health support and school clubs to make ends meet.

“Liberal Democrats know that a fair deal for our area means investing in our children’s futures. Parents and teachers will be rightly angry if there are more cuts to schools and colleges.”

Bernwood Liberal Democrat Unitary Councillor and former head teacher, Sue Lewin added:

“The Conservatives are planning more public spending cuts to pay for their own economic incompetence. School trips are already being axed, teaching assistants are being laid off and urgent classroom repairs are being ignored.

“Greg Smith must confirm urgently that they will not cut real-terms funding for schools and colleges. The Conservatives must not balance the books on the backs of our children and young people.”