Swindon MPs Justin Tomlinson and Robert Buckland as well as Borough Council Leader, David Renard, have welcomed the Government's announcement that schools in Swindon will receive an additional £4.3 million in extra funding in 2015/16 to address a historic unfairness in the way school funding is allocated following a further consultation.
The announcement means that the town's schools will now receive £1.4 million on top of the £2.9million outlined in the initial plans. The new amount equates to a 3.6% rise on the current amount, which is an increase of £148 to £4,149 per pupil. The rise is bigger than for other nearby authorities, with Reading getting a 2.1% increase and Wiltshire receiving an increase of 2.3%.
This money is part of a £390million boost to the most underfunded local authorities. It represents a huge step towards removing the unfairness in the school funding system. Justin, Robert and David have worked with colleagues from across the country to ensure that the Department for Education addresses the shortfall faced by some councils following the creation by Labour of the Schools Funding Formula.
Justin Tomlinson MP said: "The school funding system that we inherited from Labour is unfair. It is a postcode lottery that results in pupils attracting very different levels of funding without good reason. We are determined to deliver the best schools and skills for our young people so that they can get the skills they need to get on in life. This announcement is great news for Swindon as it represents a huge step towards removing the unfairness in the old school funding system".
Robert Buckland MP said: "I am absolutely delighted that the all the campaigning has worked and we have all been listened to. Myself and Justin Tomlinson, along with the council have been working very hard to raise the issue and it is great for the children of Swindon. For a long time Swindon has been desperately under-funded and been one of the lowest funded authorities in the country but the government have now addressed this issue".
