Green Party

A Green Councillor is set to challenge Norfolk County Council plans to deny an expected funding increase to two Norwich schools in areas of high social need.

Coupled with reductions in income from other sources, it means both Lakenham and Bignold primary schools will in fact suffer significant budget cuts.

The problems have been created because the council didn’t receive from government the expected level of grants dedicated to the development of schools in Norfolk. One solution to which the Conservative controlled council has turned has been to freeze increases it had been expected to make in what’s known as “social deprivation funding”. That’s money which goes to schools facing extra costs for helping pupils from less advantaged backgrounds.

At a meeting of Norfolk County Council’s cabinet on Monday (Mar 1st) Green Councillor Stephen Little will challenge the wisdom of that policy. His question will be as follows:

‘Lakenham Primary and Bignold Primary Schools, which serve Town Close division, have had their expected social deprivation funding reduced by £41K and £28K respectively. Given that both schools have already been adversely affected by changes in Special Educational Needs funding, how can the County Council ensure that schools working in areas of high social need can continue to play their vital role of tackling inequality when they are being disproportionately affected by reductions in funding?'

Councillor Little said today:

“Not only is the burden of cuts falling unequally on schools across Norfolk, but the uncertainty about future funding is making planning much more difficult for these two excellent schools. Lakenham, Bignold and other city schools like them do so much good work to help pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds realise their full potential and Green Party Councillors do not believe it is fair that they should be bearing the brunt of these cuts.”

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