WHITEHALL

Improvement budget cut 'risks vital work'

Whitehall risks undermining council-maintained schools by dramatically cutting their improvement budgets by £400m a year, council leaders have warned.

Whitehall risks undermining council-maintained schools by dramatically cutting their improvement budgets by £400m a year, council leaders have warned.

The Government has confirmed only £50m – down from £450m - will be allocated to councils from September to cover their education improvement duties.

Some 89% of council schools are rated good or outstanding by Ofsted and chair of the Local Government Association's children and young people board, Cllr Richard Watts, warned this track record would be undermined.

‘Cutting councils' school improvement budgets risks the long-term work and planning that has been put in place,' he said.

‘Councils' track record of helping to improve schools with their local knowledge, expertise and democratic oversight cannot be ignored.'

The County Councils' Network (CCN) warned in November that the slashing of the improvement budget was ‘academisation by the back door'.

WHITEHALL

Inspiring others to think big

By Cllr Mark Hunter | 23 January 2025

Stockport MBC’s ‘One Team’ ethos helped secure the Senior Leadership Team Award at The MJ Awards 2024. Cllr Mark Hunter sets out what’s being delivered for r...

WHITEHALL

In need of a place lift

By Stephen Taylor | 15 January 2025

Stephen Taylor says there is no need to wait for the English Devolution Bill to trundle through before introducing three ideas locally that can help save mon...

WHITEHALL

Starmer 'acutely aware' of SEND risk

By Dan Peters | 23 December 2024

Prime Minister Keir Starmer is ‘acutely aware’ that demand and market failure across special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) services are pushing c...

WHITEHALL

Goodbye to all that

By Martin Ford | 20 December 2024

Ann McGauran and Martin Ford take a look back at the highs and lows of a pacy and action-packed year for local government.

Popular articles by William Eichler