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Schools need cash

We may be reaching a tipping point on school funding. In recent days reports have been coming in thick and fast proving what school leaders already know – that budgets are at breaking point.

The influential Education Policy Institute reported that the proportion of local authority maintained secondary schools in deficit has nearly trebled, with more than 60% spending more than their income in 2016-17.

The 2018 Academies Benchmark Report revealed that 55% of the 450 academy trusts audited up to August 2017 were in deficit.

No school is immune. Primary and Secondary, Academy and Local Authority, mainstream and specialist; the entire state-funded school system is rapidly heading towards insolvency.

And the cuts are beginning to have an impact on children and education.

Horrifyingly, 65% of school leaders ‘strongly agree’ that cut backs have already had a negative impact on the performance of their school.

The government’s only option now is to find more money for schools, as they are doing for the NHS.

Paul Whiteman, General secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT

Questioning authority

A local authority infrastructure project is over budget and late delivered – what’s not to understand? It’s simply the norm, particularly for the administration running Swindon Borough Council.

Coun Renard berates the Labour leadership for turning yet another overspend into a Party Political issue; but surely that’s also to be expected, after all what point is there to an opposition if it doesn’t challenge the administration?

As for Coun Mary Martin, her contribution to the debate is best summed up by her own words “There’s nothing much we can do about that, I’m afraid”. Just imagine, when the powers that be were calculating costs and working out schedules, did they really not take into account the possibility of bad weather, tough ground conditions etc and add into the mix a ‘contingency’ element with associated cost implications?

The last word should be left to Coun Renard who says of a variation of 6% on the £12m upgrade “It’s not unusual”.

Both comments from senior councillors typify the silo thinking of our Civic Leaders, and it’s their blasé attitude to any challenge of what they do (or indeed, don’t do) which persuades me to continue writing letters to the Adver, challenging and exposing not only their incompetence, but their absolute disregard for any other opinion other than their own.

Des Morgan, Caraway Drive, Swindon

Excellent service

I write with reference to the non-emergency patient transport Arriva. I note they have had bad press but I must speak as I find and in my case they have alway been caring and professional and if at anytime they are late it is because they are dealing with other patients. In my case I would not have been able to attend GWH for my appointments or get home without them. Thank you everyone at Arriva.

H Howe, Saxon Close, Cricklade