Nursery World - Teachers dispute cash crisis blame

Teachers' unions have reacted angrily to Charles Clarke's claim that local authorities in England are to blame for a funding crisis in education by failing to hand on central government money to schools. The Local Government Association (LGA) rejected the education secretary's claim as 'unfounded'. LGA chairman Sir Jeremy Beecham pointed out that local councils were spending 100m more this year than the Government has allocated, and over ten years have spent 4.3bn above the Government's provision.

The Local Government Association (LGA) rejected the education secretary's claim as 'unfounded'. LGA chairman Sir Jeremy Beecham pointed out that local councils were spending 100m more this year than the Government has allocated, and over ten years have spent 4.3bn above the Government's provision.

He said, 'Councils are demonstrating their commitment to education by increasing council tax in many areas to fund additional support for schools.'

Local authorities and teaching unions have blamed the Government for a Pounds 500m shortfall in education spending, which could lead to redundancies among teachers and support staff.

However, in a speech to the NASUWT last week, Mr Clarke said, 'More LEAs than expected appear not to have passported 100 per cent of education formula funding to education, despite indicating as recently as February that they would.'

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