School expansion funds slashed
SCHOOL expansion funds have been slashed by more than half by the Government as council officers warn a 'substantial' number of new school places will be required.
A Freedom of Information (FOI) request revealed the Royal Borough's basic need funding - Department For Education money issued to local authorities to provide additional school places to cope with predicted demand - will fall to £2.6m in 2013/14 and 2014/15, down from £6.1m in 2012/13.
The £1.6billion of government funding is handed out using data provided by local authorities from across the country, predicting their need for schools' future expansion to cope with increasing pupil number estimates.
In April, an officer's report on the 10-year-expansion plan for Royal Borough schools warned 'substantial numbers of new secondary, middle and upper school places will be required from 2016 onwards' in response to a growing population.
Councillor Phill Bicknell, cabinet member for children's services, said: "The funding is given on need.
"There are other parts of the country in a worse situation than us.
"They have to work out what they think is right at a national level.
"We are in challenging times [financially] at the end of the day."
The FOI also gives the Royal Borough's estimates for required funding with £5.7m needed in 2013/14 and £9.7m in 2014/15 - a substantial amount more than the allocated government funding.
A statement in the FOI explains the shortfall will be met using a combination of existing capital grant allowances and the council's unspent funds from previous grants.
Cllr Bicknell added: "The officers are as aware as possible about the future and plan around that as far as they can."
When asked if the council has the cash in reserve to match the estimates over the next two years, Cllr Bicknell said: "We believe that to be the case."