Calls to maintain school funding

Tower Hamlets Council today, alongside 37 other local authorities, expressed disappointment with the government’s plans to change its approach to funding for schools.

Under plans that were set out in the Autumn Statement, Tower Hamlets could see a large proportion of its funding for schools cut.

The Mayor of Tower Hamlets said: “A good education can transform lives. It opens doors to career choices that lift people out of the poverty trap. The government’s plans to change its funding formula for schools could impact negatively on children from the most deprived backgrounds across the  UK – including Tower Hamlets.”

Cllr Rachael Saunders, Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Education and Children’s Services, added: “We have an excellent relationship with our schools in Tower Hamlets. That solid foundation has fostered a commitment to educational excellence. The government’s plans in the Autumn Statement could undermine our ability to deliver vital education services to our young people across the borough.”

The government has said that the new formula will start to be introduced  from 2017.