THE MP for Mid Worcestershire Nigel Huddleston has welcomed the Government’s announcement that schools will be getting an extra £1.3bn in funding over the next two years.
In a decision the Education Secretary Justine Greening said ‘the biggest improvement in the school funding system for well over a decade’ would see the money will be added to the core schools budget in both 2018/19 and 2019/20.
This means the Government will have invested £2.6 billion towards its four-year manifesto promise of £4 billion in two years.
The funding will mean an increase in the basic amount every pupil will get, protected funding for those with high needs and will ensure every local authority is in a position to give schools a cash increase through the new formula.
Mr Huddleston described the extra cash as ‘fantastic’ and said it will go some way in addressing historic underfunding of schools in Worcestershire.
“As someone who represents a rural constituency and has long lobbied for a fairer funding formula for schools, I cannot overstate how important this investment will be for children in my constituency and other rural constituencies like it,” he said.
“I have stood up in Parliament a number of times to make the point that disparities in school funding are unfair and must be addressed and I am glad that the Government has not only listened to such concerns but has also acted decisively to tackle them.
“I look forward to the release of the response to the consultation in September and also anticipate seeing the effects of the funding that has been announced today in schools across Worcestershire in the coming years.”
