Swansea schools face deficit of up to £350,000
SOME Swansea schools will have to make savings of more than £350,000 because of a drop in education funding.
Fears have been raised that across Swansea more than 100 teachers will lose their jobs, class sizes will rise and children's education will suffer because of budget cutbacks.
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Schools in Swansea face a six-figure deficit in their budgets, sparking concern over class sizes.
But the situation in individual schools is beginning to emerge, with six-figure shortfalls expected at a number of them.
Opposition education spokesman on Swansea Council, John Miles, told the Post he knew of at least one school which is expecting to have to close a gap in funding of £380,000 when its budget is revealed later this month.
Yesterday, the Post revealed that schools did not yet know what their final budget situation would be.
They are due to begin receiving their budgets from next Monday.
However, Councillor Miles said head teachers were expecting huge shortfalls in their finances.
He said: "At £380,000, they are talking about 10 teachers, or if they are on a higher level (of income), getting rid of senior teachers and bringing in teachers on a much lower scale.
"The only commodity schools have is teachers — 85 per cent of schools' budgets goes on salaries."
When the Post first revealed that Swansea Council's budget for 2010/11 included a cut of £4.5 million in the cash awarded to schools, heads warned that at least 100 teachers in the city would lose their job as a result.
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Councillor Miles, a former cabinet member for education on Swansea Council, said schools would consider making savings on things like school visits and sports, but once those options were exhausted, "they have to start looking at a reduction in staff."
The Pontarddulais councillor said that, while some secondary schools were facing six-figure shortfalls, he believed there were also primary schools looking at gaps of around £80,000.
He said: "That is a large amount for a primary school."
Councillor Miles is a school governor at Bryniago Welsh school and Pontarddulais comprehensive.
He said: "We are talking about job losses and having to revisit the curriculum, to see how best we can deliver it."
Cabinet member Mike Day said individual schools had yet to be given their budgets.
He said: "I think it is ridiculous at this stage to talk figures.
"Until the final budgets are out we don't know what the final position is."
However, Councillor Day added the administration did acknowledge that the funding situation was a problem for schools.
He said: "We do appreciate that the situation with funding and budgets this year is going to be bad.
"Education funding is a problem and it is going to inhibit schools' ability to provide good quality education. It is a national problem."
A council spokeswoman said schools were required to return balanced budgets.
She said: "Schools are required to set a balanced budget in each financial year under the Scheme for Financing Schools.
"If a school cannot set a balanced budget then either reserves are used and/or savings made.
"Should the school have significant financial difficulties then it can set a balance over a period of more than one year (normally two or three years) but only with permission from the local authority."
alex.brown@swwmedia.co.uk
10 Comments
by susie, swansea
Friday, March 19 2010, 10:42AM
“I've just had a fun few minutes on the council website adding up how much the bendy buses and their new roads have cost us. So far it's over £3million. Nuff said!!”
by susie, swansea
Friday, March 19 2010, 10:24AM
“Sorry to rain on your parade Dave, but the taxis are taking DISABLED children to school.”
by Paul Jones, Swansea
Thursday, March 18 2010, 10:46PM
“There is an area of public sector finances, whether it is schools, councillors or any department you care to mention that isn`t discussed. This particular issue is an enormous drain on the money given to the council and local governement. PENSION CONTRIBUTIONS, all of which range from very generous to obcenely generous to senior executives and AM/MPs`. In the private sector people are now having to come to terms with the pension being almost insignificant and even having to fight for the right to a pension. I don`t begrudge public sector employees a pension, but how much of our money is going to support this luxury for a large majority.”
by dave, swansea
Thursday, March 18 2010, 7:47PM
“hears an idea cut back on all the taxis that drive unruly children back and forth schools”
by dave, swansea
Thursday, March 18 2010, 7:46PM
“here's an idea to save cash stop paying for taxis that take unrule cheildren to school i live in the middle of three schools and every morning and afternoon i see fleet after fleet of taxis driving these children to and from school that money as we all know comes out of th education budget”
by Megan, Bonymaen
Thursday, March 18 2010, 7:22PM
“Uplands voter, Your child will almost certainly be affected. Our children in Bonymaen have been hit with a double whammy, not only has our school closed, with the loss of teaching and support staff jobs, many educational facilities and community assets, we are now told that the recieving schools will have to make cut backs too. Therefore, our children and staff are being penalised twice for the incompetance of this so called administration.
Please do give your councillors a piece of your mind, they have put a whole generation of our finest assets (our children) in the possition where they cannot expect a basic, let alone a good education.
I wish you and your child luck.”
by Jim, Swansea
Thursday, March 18 2010, 5:42PM
“The problem is that Swansea Council actually received a small increase in the education budget from the Welsh Assembly Government, but failed to pass that on to schools. It was put in to children's services instead because of the criticism that had received in 2 inspections.”
by roy.adams, dunvant
Thursday, March 18 2010, 5:24PM
“It is so plainly obvious that this ruling council are mainly responsible for the state of our children's schools, and education.
There just does not seem, that any long term business plan has been set up and finances of our City have been wasted on pet projects and vote catchers.
Why was over £34 million of council money spent on the L.C. Surely it would have been more sensible to look for private investers as partners to off set this large financial project.
Why was it necessary to spend over £84 Million on a I.T system which does not seem to be worth this large finance out-lay.
Why was £5.3 Million taken away from the education budget to prop up social services.
There are probably many more issues which are so unnecessary, where the tax-payers finances, could and should ,have been saved.
Chidren need education.
Teachers are needed to TEACH.
Enough is Enough, those councillors who are responsible for causing this mess should either have the decency to resign or be made to Go.”
by Dai, Swansea
Thursday, March 18 2010, 4:44PM
“Re: Uplands Voter, Swansea
All our children are going to suffer. I know of one school with a background of good houskeeping is going to show a deficit in excess of £100,000 - all thanks to your ward councillors Councillors May, Rice, Woodman and Thomas who voted with their Lib Dem/Independent cronies to cut the EDUCATION BUDGET.
I hope you also remember where NOT to put your cross in the upcoming general election. How can abyone trust anything Councillor May has to say after the part he played in ruining our childrens educational prospects.”
by Uplands Voter, Swansea
Thursday, March 18 2010, 4:18PM
“I hope my child doesn't suffer, if so Councillors May, Rice, Woodman and Thomas you'd better be prepared for the consequences!!”