Every school in Cumbria could be forced to make drastic cuts to plug an £8million-plus overspend in county council finances – leaving headteachers fearing they will have no choice but to axe jobs.

Council chiefs want to claw back the sum, leading to a three per cent cut across schools, because of a forecasted overspend in ‘high needs’ funding.

The cuts are one of a series of proposals being looked at to address the rising costs of helping children with special needs.

The move has sparked claims from one union leader that the authority is passing the problem on to schools and governors and the proposal, if agreed, does not give schools sufficient time for voluntary or compulsory redundancy periods.

The Cumbria Primary Headteachers Association (PHA) is urging its 200-plus members to consult governing bodies and send representations to the county’s schools forum before the consultation closes at the end of the month.

The forum is a panel of education figures who advise the county council about school finance issues.

PHA chairman Shaun Monaghan, head of Jericho Primary School, in Whitehaven, explained that schools have already fixed their budgets for the next three years.

Many that carefully balanced their books could now be facing debt while others with deficit recovery plans may see their financial woes deepen, he warned.

Mr Monaghan said: “If schools fall into deficit then they have to pay that back – we’re not allowed to be in deficit. Then to be told in the second year of that cycle that they’re taking away another three per cent, it can only mean reductions in staff or facilities for children.”

Leading PHA members are due to meet today to discuss the group’s consultation response.

A county council spokesman said: “A wide range of proposals are with the schools forum for consideration and further proposals are being developed in response to feedback received.

“These will also be subject to consultation before the schools forum makes a recommendation to the council’s cabinet on what they consider to be the best way forward.”